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HISTORY 


Town  of  Marlborough 


Ulster  County,  New  York 


From    its    Earliest   Discovery 


By  C.   M.  WOOLSEY 


ILLUSTRATED 


ALBANY 

J.   B.  LYON  COMPANY,   PRINTERS 

1908 


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LIBWASV  of  COWGRESS 
twp  ©lynx's  RecB'weo 

SEP    18  »yu8 

0UKS9   ^^     XAc  N». 
COPt  % 


Copyright,  1908 
C.  M.  WOOLSEY. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE. 

Preface 7 

CHAPTER  I. 

Introduction 11 

How  the  Town   Derived   Its   Name IG 

The  Town  of  ^Marlborough 18 

CHAPTER  II. 
Early  Patents  and  Land  Grants 27 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  Indians 51 

Maintononiali  —  A   Poem    .3(j 

Tlie  Early   Settlers 80 

Our  Ancestors 8G 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Town  of  Marlborough   in  the  Revolution,  including: 

The  Committee   of    Safety 91 

The  Signers  of  the   Pledge  and  Those   Who   Refused  to   Sign..      96 

Levies    and    Militia     101 

Invasion  of  Canada   104 

Lewis   DuBois   and   William    Martin 107 

Soldiers   from   the    Town 108 

DuBois'  Regiment 109 

Captain  Jacob  Wood's  Company  and  His  Court-Martial..    110,  11.3 

C4eneral   Vaughn's    Expedition    113 

Lieutenant  Rose  Cashiered    IIG 

New   !Marlboroug]i,   26    Apr.    1777.      Proceedings   of   the    Com- 
mittee      117 

Petition   of   Samuel   Townsend    Ili^ 

Petition    of    Elizabeth    Wiggins 120 

Lewis    DuBois'    Court-Martial 122 

No    Consideration    Shown    Traitors  —  General    Clinton    About 

the  Tories 125,   126 

Jacobus    Rose    126 

Silas  Gardiner    130 

Arthur   ^McKinney 131 

Petition   of   tlie   Inhabitants   of   New   Borough   and   New   ^larl-. 

borough    132 

Petitions  of  Levi  Quimby  and  Others 132 

Jacob   Dayton   13.5 

Petition  of  Leonard  Smith    138 

Petition  of  Cadwallader   Colden,   Jr 140 

Petition   of  Elnathan   Foster  and  Others 142: 

Tories 143: 

A    Day    of    Rejoicing 145 


4  Contents. 

CHAPTER  V. 

Precinct  and  Town  Meetings  ami  Records 149 

CHAPTER   YI. 
Ancient  Roads jgg 

CHAPTER  VII. 

]\Iarks    of    Cattle    201 

Strays 204 

Ancient   Records .>()-^ 

Ancient   Town  Matters    211 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Village   of   iMarllKM-ough,    17(i4 215 

Colden's   Ridge    210 

The  Map  of  Dr.  Renjaniin  Ely 21S 

Slavery    224 

CHAPTER  IX. 

The  War  of  1812  and  the  INIexican  War 237 

Assessment    on    Bond    Patent 242 

Horatio   Gates   Saft'ord's   Gazetteer,   etc 24.3 

Ancient  Houses   24.5 

Mills    and   Factories    247 

Vessels   and   Transjjortation    249 

Ferries  and  Docks    253 

Hudson  River 257 

Jeffrow"s   Hook    259 

CHAPTER  X. 

Facts   and    Incidents    2G3 

The  Maid  of   Marlborough  —  A   Poem 2()8 

Men   of   Prominence    2()!l,  270 

Hallocks'  Ponds 270 

List    of    Supervisors    273 

Town  Clerks  and  Justices  of  the  Peace 275,  276 

Lawyers  and  Doctors   279,  280 

The  Antwerp  Raspberry   283 

CHAPTER   XI. 

Ancient    Customs    and    Ha])its 285 

Ancient  ^lanuscripts   of    the    Weather 297 

Ancient   Burial    Places    302 

The  Men  Who  Voted   in   1834 310 

CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Civil  War  317 

Lieutenant  Edward  Ketcham    319 

Lieutenant  Jolm  Ketcham    319 

Captain  N^ehemiali  H.  Mann 334 

Recruiting   for  the    120th    Regiment 341 

Special   Elections  to  Raise  Money 344 

List  of  those  Enrolled  in  the  Army  and  Xavy 346 

State  Militia .' 348 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
The   Presbyterian   Society   and   Churcli 351 


Contents.  5 

chapter  xiv. 

Methodism  in  the  Town  of  ^larlborough 3-^ 

CHAPTER  XV. 

The  Baptist  Society  and  Church 405 

Catholics  and  Catholic   Churches    414 

The    Episcopal    Churches    419 

The  [Milton   Society  of   Friends    42.5 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

ilarlborough   431 

Milton 437 

Lattintown 446 

Societies  and  Institutions 451 

Business  Enterprises 457 

People,  Lands   and  Conditions 459 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


C.  M.  Woolsey Frontispiece. 

Large  Ancient  Map  Drawn  by  Dr.  Beujaniin   Ely,  ^ 

In  poclci  on  front  cover. 

PAGE.     ^ 

Map  of  Town,  1874 20 

Commission  of  William  Woolsey 102  ' 

Order  for  Payment  of  Money  Dne  the  Otlicers 108 

Certificate  of  the  Officers  of  Lewis  DnBois'  Regiment 108' 

Assessment  in   Captain  Wood's  Company 110. 

Order  by  Captain   Wood    112. 

Ancient   .Signatiires    148^ 

Th3  Col.  Lewis  DuBois  House 210  ■ 

Map  of  Village  of  Marlborough,   1704 214 

Residence  of  C.  M.  Woolsey 230 

Assessment   Roll  —  Bond    Patent 242- 

The  Oldest  House  in  the  Town 244 

The  C.   M.   Woolsey  Building 202 . 

Smith's   Falls    .  .  /. 268 , 

Long   Pond    270 " 

Long  Pond 272  - 

The  Elijah  Lewis  House    274  ' 

The  Anning   Smith   House 280- 

The  Xoali    Woolsev    House 296' 

The  Old  Chestnut  'Tree  at  Lyons  Corner 302  ^ 

Edward  Hallock  Ketcham    316  - 

John  Townsend  Ketcham   320^^ 

Hartshorn's    Store,    Marlborough 3.50. 

^Marlborough  Presbyterian  Church 370 

Marlborough  M.  E.'  Church 400, 

Falls   at   :\Iarlborough    Village 432  ■ 

Milton  Village 430  / 

C.  J.  Miller  Building    444  ^ 


PREFACE 


Many  people  never  look  at  the  preface  of  a  book; 
yet  it  may  have  considerable  merit,  as  it  presents  in 
some  small  degree  what  we  may  expect  to  find  further 
on.  In  most  all  communities  but  little  care  has  been 
taken  to  preserve  the  original  events,  the  commence- 
ment of  things  as  we  might  say,  and  the  commence- 
ment of  all  things  is  most  interesting,  whether  they 
be  of  the  town,  county  or  state.  And  what  a  great 
thing  it  would  be  to  know  the  beginning  of  the  crea- 
tion—  the  world  and  the  stars  and  all  that  God  made 
for  the  pleasure  and  benefit  of  all  people  —  all  this 
we  may  never  know,  yet  we  can  have  the  consolation 
of  knowing  something  about  the  people  and  condi- 
tions of  former  times  in  our  own  neighborhood.  It 
has  been  said  by  a  great  writer  that  local  history  was 
the  greatest  of  all  history;  it  brings  us  in  touch  with 
the  place  and  its  inhabitants  of  former  times.  We  see 
why  certain  habits  and  customs  have  been  handed 
down  to  us  —  connects  the  past  with  the  present  — 
shows  the  character  and  services  of  our  fathers  — 
and,  as  far  as  may  be,  produces  the  familiar  scenes 
of  by-gone  years.  But  what  little  care  has  been  taken 
to  preserve  ancient  papers  and  records  and  memor- 
anda of  past  events.  Oftentimes  someone  during  a 
long  life  would  gather  up  valuable  material,  and  al- 
most before  he  was  in  his  grave,  all  this  treas- 
ure would  be  transferred  to  the  garret  or  wagon  loft, 
never  to  be  examined  again,  and  in  time  scattered  and 
forgotten.  This  comes  home  to  me.  I  well  remem- 
ber, when  a  little  child  of  a  few  years,  my  grandfather, 
Richard  I.  Woolsey,  died,  and  his  large  trunk,  filled 
with  valuable  records  of  the  past,  which  had  been  the 

[7] 


History  of  Marlborough. 


l)ride  of  his  life  to  gather  and  save,  was  removed  to 
the  room  over  the  wagon  shed  and  it  was  a  pastime 
for  other  little  children  and  myself  to  examine  and 
scatter  this  data  all  aliont  the  bnilding  in  the  search 
for  a  stray  pictnre.  No  one  appeared  to  know  its 
vakie.  How  safely  we  wonld  treasure  those  records 
if  we  had  them  now !  The  works  of  the  dead  are  soon 
forgotten,  but  in  after  years  we  realize  our  mistakes. 
It  has  been  a  great  labor  and  required  diligent  re- 
search to  find  as  much  as  I  have.  I  have  examined  old 
jiapers  to  secure  notices  and  advertisements,  and  have 
visited  many  cities  to  examine  lil)raries  and  ancient 
records,  and  though  I  have  not  always  been  success- 
ful, yet  enough  facts  have  been  obtained  to  show 
that  our  town  was,  in  education,  patriotism,  and  all 
things  that  make  up  good  citizenship,  the  equal  of  any 
of  the  towns  in  the  county.  I  find  the  troul)le  has  been 
that  while  other  places  boasted  of  their  ancestry  and 
great  deeds,  there  was  no  one  to  do  justice  to  our  town 
and  record  its  honored  past.  Marlborough  has  al- 
ways been  a  quiet  and  modest  town  and  allowed  other 
places  to  get  ahead  of  it.  No  one  has  sung  its  praise 
or  recorded  its  worth;  we  hope  hereafter  it  will  be 
known  far  and  near,  that  there  is  such  a  place  as  the 
Town  of  Marlborough. 

The  author  has  tried  his  best  to  l)e  impartial,  and 
if  certain  family  names  and  certain  events  appear  to 
be  more  generally  used  than  others,  it  is  only  because 
we  were  able  to  get  such  information.  We  could  not 
write  about  men  and  things  of  which  we  could  get  no 
record.  I  have  asked  a  great  many  people  to  give  me 
information  about  their  families  so  I  could  incorpo- 
rate it  in  this  work,  but  with  few  exceptions,  they 
could  help  me  little;  therefore  I  could  not  write  about 
what  I  did  not  have.  I  feel  that  there  are  many  things 
that  could  have  been  said,  yet  I  could  not  get  the  neces- 
sary information;  so  do  not  blame  me  for  the  omis- 
sions that  have  been  made. 


Preface,  9 

I  give  many  names.  Names  are  dry  reading,  but 
they  are  useful  for  reference,  delightful  to  the  de- 
scendant who  sees  his  grandfather's  upon  an  honored 
roll,  invaluable  to  the  future  historian,  and  represent 
the  living  facts  without  which  history  could  not  l)e 
written.  It  is  the  men  and  not  the  things  which  make 
the  records.  God  made  the  world,  and  wondrous  and 
beautiful  it  is;  but,  without  the  men  who  inhabit  it, 
how  useless  and  extravagant  would  it  appear!  So 
this  history  of  the  men  who  trod  the  soil  we  tread,  who 
saw  the  same  hills,  the  same  valleys,  the  same  broad 
Hudson  that  we  see,  but  in  a  dilferent  age  and  genera- 
tion, in  less  cultivated  and  more  troublf^some  times,  is 
presented  to  the  Town  of  Marllwrough. 

Local  history  has  been  neglected.  Plistorians  have 
generally  written  of  great  events  of  a  national  charac- 
ter ;  of  the  great  statesmen ;  of  the  leaders  of  armies, 
who  marched  through  provinces  and  sul)dued  princi- 
palities and  kingdoms;  but  the  mass  of  the  people 
who  make  up  the  nation,  the  bone  and  sinew  —  the 
millions  of  the  middle  class  have  hardly  received  a 
passing  notice. 

The  sun  is  great  and  incomprehensible  lieyond  and 
above  all,  but  for  what  would  it  answer  if  it  had  no 
earth  to  shine  upon?  What  would  the  statesman  and 
general  accomplish  without  the  help  of  the  plain 
people  of  the  little  towns  and  villages  all  over  our 
land  ?  They  make  the  statesman  and  the  general. 
Were  it  not  for  the  humble  people  they  lead,  what 
would  they  accomplish  ?  Until  within  a  few  years  l)ut 
little  attention  has  been  paid  to  local  history.  The 
Daughters  of  the  Revolution  have  done  much  toward 
this  end  and  all  over  the  land,  bronze  tablets  mark 
the  spots  of  great  achievements,  or  the  places  where 
patriots  fell.  To  the  humble  people  of  the  town  and 
of  the  state,  is  this  little  work,  with  all  its  imperfec- 
tions, dedicated. 

C.  M.  W.     . 


HISTORY  OF  MARLBOROUGH 


CHAPTEE  I. 


Introduction. 

AVliY  do  I  write  this  bookf  The  fact  is,  I  am  not  a 
writer,  never  had  a  desire  nor  did  I  ever  intend  to 
write  a  book,  but  some  time  since,  at  the  request  of 
those  interested  in  the  history  edited  by  Judge  Clear- 
water, I  hunted  up  ancient  documents,  traced  the  truth 
of  old  .traditions,  and  in  doing-  so  became  very  much 
interested.  I  would  find  out  things  about  the  town 
and  its  people  in  olden  times  of  which  I  had  never 
heard,  and  becoming  interested,  would  trace  them  to 
their  source.  In  such  research  I  would  discover  other 
matters,  and  thus  obtained  much  information  which 
was  sent  to  be  incorporated  in  the  county  history.' 
When  the  book  was  pulilished,  I  was  disappointed  in 
finding  l)ut  a  small  part  of  my  contribution,  and  it  was 
all  right,  as  the  history  of  Kingston  and  all  the  towns 
afforded  so  much  material  for  a  book  that  most  of  the 
articles  had  to  be  reduced  in  size,  that  the  book  should 
not  be  too  large.  In  accepting  a  part  of  my  article. 
Judge  Clearwater  wrote  me: 

Your  article  conteins  a  great  deal  of  interesting  and  im- 
portant data  *  *  *  Wliat  you  should  really  do  is  to  write 
and  publish  an  exhaustive  liistory  of  the  Town  of  Marlborough. 
Doulttless  you  could  sell  a  great  many  copies  by  subscription. 
*  *  *  The  article  you  have  written  will  direct  attention 
to  tlie  importance  of  ^larlborough  from  a  very  early  period, 
and  will  serve  to  excite  and  revive  interest  in  the  town  and  its 
men. 

[Ill 


12  HiSTOKY  OF  Marlborough. 

I  tliouglit  that  what  I  had  found,  and  more  that  I 
had  obtained  from  time  to  time,  should  not  be  lost. 
It  was  doubtful  if  anyone  again  would  ever  attempt  to 
collect  together,  what  I  had  discovered,  and  I  felt  it 
should  be  preserved  for  coming  generations. 

The  History  of  Marlborough  published  some  years 
since,  and  also  the  History  of  Marlborough  contained 
in  Sylvester's  Ulster  County  History  are  full  of 
errors,  and,  instead  of  informing  people,  mislead 
them.  Many  statements  are  made  as  facts  which  are 
only  predicated  on  old  traditions  which  never  had  any 
foundation  in  truth.  These  histories  were  not  written 
by  natives  of  the  town,  Init  by  people  who  knew 
nothing  about  the  town  or  where  to  find  data  concern- 
ing it,  and  were  not  particularly  interested  to  have  it 
accurate.  I,  therefore,  feel  that  what  goes  down  to 
posterity  about  our  town  should  be  as  accurate  as  pos- 
sible; and  though  I  may  have  made  some  errors,  1  have 
tried  to  found  my  l)ook  on  old  records,  papers,  maps 
and  traditions,  which  I  have  followed  to  their  source; 
and  _  though  about  only  two  hundred  years  have 
elapsed  since  the  town  was  first  settled,  I  have  found 
it  almost  impossible  to  obtain  any  old  papers  or  docu- 
ments from  any  of  the  old  families  that  might  throw 
light  on  the  early  history  and  the  stirring  events  of 
the  Revolution.  People  have  ransacked  their  garrets 
and  old  trunks  without  avail;  or,  at  least,  with  little 
success.  I  even  advertised  and  did  not  get  a  single 
idea,  so  I  was  driven  to  my  own  resources  and  re- 
searches, and  I  had  some  advantages ;  my  great-great- 
grandparents,  Eichard  AVoolsey  and  Sarah  Fowler, 
settled  here  among  the  first.  They  left  eight  boys  and 
four  girls,  thus  my  family  was  early  identified  with 
the  town.  A  few  original  papers  and  documents  had 
been  preserved  in  the  family,  or  scattered  around  and 
left  undisturbed  only  liecause  they  were  not  discov- 
ered.    And  then  I  had  lots  of  familv  and  town  tradi- 


Introduction. 


tions,  and  putting  them  all  together  and  following  them 
up,  I  have  been  enabled  to  write  this  book.     And  I 
claim  for  it,  that  it  contains  much  that  would  never 
have  1)een  known  otherwise.     I  can  say  that  it  is  in 
the  great  part  absolutely  correct,  as  I  have  many  of 
the  original  documents.     I  have  written  this  book  for 
the  interest  I  felt  in  it,  and  in  the  old  people  and  cus- 
toms.   I  have  been  well  paid  for  all  my  trouble  in  the 
pleasure  I  have  taken  in  its  preparation.     My  curi- 
osity would  be  aroused  when  I  discovered  any  -event 
of  importance  and  it  was  a  satisfaction  to  trace  it  out. 
The  habits  and  customs  of  the  people  who  came  here, 
and  of  those  who  were  born  and  died  here,  the  per- 
sons who  were  the  people  of  the  town  in  their  day, 
who  reared  their  families,  did  their  business  here,  cul- 
tivated the  same  fields  that  we  are  now  working,  went 
to  the  same  churcbes,  attended  the  same  schools,  and 
did  much  as  we  are  now  doing  —  they  cleared  up  the 
forests.     They  were  our  ancestors  and  the  neighbors 
of   our   ancestors;   their   shadowy   forms   in   remem- 
brance, history  and  tradition  float  before  us.     AVhen 
we  read  and  think  about  them  and  trace  the  lands 
they  owned,  the  houses  they  built,  we  almost  feel  that 
we  have  seen  them,  that  they  have  come  down  from 
the  shadowy  past  and  have  communed  with  us,  have 
told  us  of  their  lives,  have  pointed  out  to  us  and  de- 
scribed  the   aspect   of   the   town   in   their   day,   have 
rehearsed  to  us  the  events  which  were  considered  of 
importance  in  their  time. 

It  is  a  pleasure  and  a  duty  to  preserve  their  names 
and  memory  so  far  as  we  can,  and  I  am  perfectly  con- 
tent if  this  venture  pays  the  printer  and  binder.  I 
can  state  only  tire  plain  facts  a1)out  a  |)lain  people.. 
r)ur  town  has  produced  no  great  men ;  no  great  events 
have  happened  here;  no  great  city  has  arisen;  no 
great  mechanical  industries  have  developed.  We  have 
never  had  what  might  be  called  a  town  center,  part 


14  History  of  Marlborough. 

of  our  people  went  iu  one  direction  and  the  rest  in 
another  ont  of  the  town  to  do  much  of  their  necessary 
business. 

The  people  have  always  been  quiet,  consistent, 
consevative,  honest,  industrious,  Christian,  and  a 
patriotic  people,  not  unlike  the  great  ])ody  of  people 
who  form  our  commonwealth. 

I  have  not  attempted  to  give  the  record  of  families ; 
I  can  not  give  the  record  of  my  own  family  correctly. 
My  great-great-grandfather,  born  in  Westchester 
county, in  1697,  settled  in  this  county  early  in  1700, 
and  left  a  large  family  and  numerous  descendants; 
outside  of  my  own  line,  I  can  not  trace  them  with  any 
degree  of  certainty.  I  certainly  would  fail  trying  to 
make  a  family  record  for  other  people.  The  attempt 
to  do  so  by  those  who  have  written  about  the  town, 
has  generally  proven  a  fraud  and  a  failure.  I  give 
the  names  of  the  people  who  lived  at  different  times, 
and  tire  dates  and  the  capacity  in  which  they  served, 
so  that  anyone  familiar  with  his  own  family  history, 
can  trace  them  out  for  himself. 

In  former  times  when  this  town  was  a  part  of  New- 
l)urgh,  its  associations  and  interests  were  all  with  that 
section.  Newburgh  was  its  center  for  business,  banks 
and  trade,  and  when  it  was  taken  off  and  made  a 
separate  town,  it  ever  since  has  retained  to  some  ex- 
tent the  sam-e  relation  to  Newburgh.  After  the 
division,  and  after  Newburgh  was  taken  off  of  Ulster 
county,  Marlborough  became  a  border  and  corner 
town,  and  having  but  little  interest  with  the  rest  of 
the  county  it  never  received  the  consideration  it 
deserved. 

This  history  comprises  events  from  the  earliest 
settlement  of  the  town  to  the  close  of  the  civil  war, 
though  some  matters  are  referred  to  which  occurred 
since.  The  intention  has  been  to  preserve  the  record 
of  the  early  events  as  they  would  soon  pass  out  of 


Inteoduction.  15 


existence  and  be  forgotten.  The  papers  and  records 
which  I  have  given  in  full,  instead  of  a  reference  to 
the  same,  are  published  to  show  the  habits,  customs 
and  transactions  of  the  people  in  those  times.  They 
will  certainly  give  anyone  a  better  conception  and 
knowledge  than  anything  I  might  write  about  them. 
It  is  always  a  great  advantage  to  have  the  original 
document  to  judge  from  for  yourself  and  one  can 
form  his  own  conclusions  and  often  arrive  at  a  better 
understanding  than  from  any  comments  the  writer 
might  make  al)0ut  them;  so  I  have  given  many  in  full, 
and  just  as  they  are,  with  all  their  incorrect  spelling, 
grammar  and  other  inaccuracies. 

In  this  brief  history,  no  attempt  is  made  to  give  all 
the  events  and  conditions  that  have  transpired  in  the 
town  from  the  first  settlement,  but  more  particularly 
to  obtain  and  record  the  earlier  events,  the  trials  and 
struggles,  the  habits  and  customs  of  the  sturdy  and 
industrious  people  who  settled  here  in  earlier  times, 
and  carved  a  home  and  name  among  these  stony  hills 
and  valleys;  and  they  are  worthy  of  all  praise  for 
what  they  accomplished,  for  several  colonies  at  dif- 
ferent times  had  previously  examined  and  inspected 
these  shores,  but  were  discouraged  at  their  rugged- 
ness  and  apparent  barrenness  of  soil,  and  settled  in 
other  places;  and  these  who  settled  here  had  hardly 
emerged  from  the  wilderness,  hardly  completed  com- 
fortable houses  and  buildings,  and  cleared  but  a  small 
part  of  the  land,  when  they  were  called  upon  to  face 
a  long  and  Intter  war  with  a  foreign  nation,  when  they 
must  endure  great  suffering  and  privation.  Many  of 
their  neighbors  took  sides  in  opposition;  but  by  the 
laps-e  of  time,  and  the  neglect  and  d_estruclion  of 
earlier  papers  and  records  of  those  times,  very  little 
has  been  left  to  us.  An  effort  has  been  made  to  gather 
the  remaining  fragments,  and  preserve  them  that  all 
should  not  be  lost,   and  especially   that  the   stirring 


16  History  of  Marlborough. 


events  that  tried  our  ancestors'  hearts  in  the  great 
strife,  and  their  names  and  memory,  shonkl  not  be 
lost  from  the  earth. 

In  conclusion,  I  would  say,  that  if  I  have  succeeded 
in  pleasing  anyone,  in  giving  any  information  of  tlie 
past,  and  in  preserving  the  traditions  and  history  of 
the  town,  I  am  content. 


How  THE  Town  Derived  its  Name. 

Marlborough  was  so  named  after  John  Churchilh 
Duke  of  Marlborough,  the  greatest  and  most  success- 
ful general  in  English  history.  He  was  born  at  Ashe, 
in  Devonshire,  England,  in  1650.  The  course  of  his 
early  education  is  but  little  known,  and  it  is  probable 
that  he  learned  but  little  from  schools  and  liooks.  At 
the  early  age  of  twelve,  his  father  carried  him  to 
Court,  where  the  loyalty  of  the  family  was  well 
known.  He  soon  became  a  page  to  the  Duke  of  York, 
and  was  commissioned  as  ensign  in  the  guards  at 
sixteen.  He  was  at  the  battle  of  Tangier  and  in 
engagements  with  the  Moors;  on  his  return  to  Eng- 
land he  l^ecame  captain.  His  further  advancement 
was  promoted  by  his  comely  person  and  prepossessing 
manners,  his  own  merit,  and  the  influence  of  his  sister, 
Arabella,  mistress  of  the  Duke  of  York.  She  was  the 
mother  of  the  celebrated  Duke  of  Berwick.  In  the 
campaign  from  1672  to  1677  his  (Marlborough's) 
courage  and  ability  gained  him  the  praise  and  in- 
fluence of  the  celebrated  Turenne.  His  prosperity 
was  still  further  secured  by  his  marriage  with  Sarah 
Jennings,  a  lady  of  talent,  imperious  disposition,  and 
beauty,  and  one  of  the  Maids  of  Honor  to  the  Princess 
Anna.  She  was  a  great  favorite  with  her  mistress 
and  had  great  influence  over  her.  He  previously  had 
become    a   Lieut.-Colonel    and   Colonel.     In    1681   he 


How  THE  Town  Derived  Its  Name.  17 

became  a  Baron,  When  King  James  came  to  the 
throne,  he  was  made  a  Peer,  and  a  general  in  the 
army.  On  William's  ascension  to  the  throne  he  was 
raised  to  the  dignity  of  the  Earl  of  Marlborough. 
The  same  year  he  won  the  battle  of  Walcourt  over 
the  French,  and  became  the  head  of  the  army.  He 
had  many  successes,  and  rose  to  the  position  of  the 
Duke  of  Marlborough.  In  1701  the  Duke  led  the  allied 
armies  into  Germany,  and  with  Prince  Eugene  of 
Savoy,  stormed  the  French  and  Bavarian  lines  at 
Donauworth  and  overthrew  their  armies  in  the  great 
and  decisive  battle  of  Blenheim,  in  recognition  of 
which  the  Parliament  and  the  Queen  caused  Blenheim 
palace  to  be  built.  In  1705  Marlliorougli  was  made  a 
Prince  of  the  Empire.  In  1708  he  won  the  battle  at 
Oudenorde  which  resulted  in  the  total  defeat  of  the 
French.  In  1709  he  fought  the  battle  of  Malplacjuet 
and  in  1710  took  town  after  town  from  the  French. 
It  would  fill  a  book  to  tell  of  his  exploits.  He  brought 
great  honor  and  renown  to  the  English  nation,  and 
in  recognition  of  his  great  services  Blenheim  castle 
was 'presented  to  him,  and  has  ever  since  remained 
the  estate  of  his  descendants,  the  subsequent  Dukes  of 
Marlborough. 

He  was  a  great  man  in  many  ways,  but  all  his 
descendants,  the  subsequent  Dukes  of  Marlborough, 
have  accomplished  little  but  to  marry  rich  American 
wives,  who  were  fools  enough  to  exchange  great  riches 
for  empty  titles  and  pay  off  the  debts  of  profligates 
and  bankrupts  who  had  only  a  title  and  a  great  name 
-  to  give  in  return.  In  fact,  Blenheim  castle  and  estate 
would  long  since  have  been  gambled  away  and  spent, 
but  under  English  laws  these  great  estates  can  not 
be  taken  from  the  family.  The  family  can  not  pass 
title,  and  judgment  and  encumbrances  can  not  take  it 
away.  What  a  pity  we  can  not  sometimes  keep  the 
old  homestead  in  the  family  in  this  country  in  the 
same  way! 


18  History  of  MxYrlborough. 

Tbe  Iron  Duke,  as  he  was  called,  rose  from  small 
beginnings,  with  little  education,  to  be  the  greatest 
general  of  his  age.  He  died. in  1722,  idolized  by  all 
the  English  people. 

The  ancestors  of  many  of  our  first  settlers  were 
soldiers  under  the  Duke,  and  had  marched  with  him 
through  many  of  the  countries  of  Europe,  and  had 
been  particijoants  in  his  great  campaigns  and  battles 
and  victories.  In  their  childhood,  in  their  native 
land  and  around  the  firesides  of  their  forefathers  it 
was  told  to  them  in  song  and  story  of  the  great  deeds 
of  the  Iron  Duke  and  of  his  men.  All  the  English- 
speaking  people  sang  his  praises,  and  boasted  of  his 
g'reat  renown.  Thus  it  was  quite  natural  that  our 
English  ancestors  would  have  named  the  Presbyterian 
society,  the  j^recinct,  and  afterward  the  town,  after 
him. 


The   Town  of  Marlborough. 

There  is  no  record  that  any  white  num  set  fopt  in 
what  is  now  the  Town  of  Marll)orougli  previous  to 
1684.  By  tradition  it  is  chiimed  that  previous  to  the 
time  when  the  Twelve  Patentees  acquired  title  to  their 
lands,  known  as  the  Paltz  Patent,  from  the  Indians 
in  1677,  they  had  visited  the  country  here,  but  had 
been  deterred  from  settlement  by  the  ruggedness  and 
barrenness  of  the  soil.  No  effort  was  made  to  obtain 
possession  of  the  land  at  Quassaick,  now  Newburgh, 
and  vicinity  from  the  Indians  until  1681,  when  Gov- 
ernor Dongan  bought  of  Mangenaett,  Tsema,  Kegh- 
gekapowell,  alias  Joghem,  who  claimed  to  be  the 
' '  native  proprietors  and  principal  owners  ' '  of  the 
lands  mentioned  in  the  deed,  "  with  the  consent  of 
Pemeranag-hin,  chief  sachem  of  Esopus  Indians  "  and 
other  Indians  named,  "  all  that  tract  and  parcel  of 


The  Town  of  Maelboeough.  -  19 

land  situate,  lying  and  being  upon  the  west  side  of 
Hudson's  River,  beginning  from  the  south  side  of 
the  land  called  called  the  Paltz,  and  extending  thence 
southerly  along  the  said  river  to  the  lands  belonging 
to  the  Indians  at  the  Murderer's  Kill  (now  Moodney 
Creek),  and  extending  westward  to  the  foot  of  the 
High-hills  called  Pit-kis-ka-ker  and  Aia-skawosting." 
This  tract  ran  from  the  Paltz  purchase,  on  the  nortli, 
to  Murderer's  Creek  (now  Moodney  Creek),  on  the 
south,  and  bounded  on  the  northwest  and  west  by  the 
Shawangunk  mountains  until  a  point  was  reached 
from  which  a  due  east  and  west  line  would  strike  the 
mouth  of. Murderer's  Creek.  For  this  immense  tract 
Governor  Dongan  paid  ' '  the  smu  of  ninety  pounds  and 
eleven  shillings"  in  the  following  articles,  viz.:  "10 
fathoms  blue  duffels,  10  fathoms  red  duffels,  200  fath- 
oms white  wampum,  10  fathoms  stroudwater,  (red 
cloth,)  10  fathoms  blue  cloth,  10  blankets,  10  guns,  10 
kettles,  10  duffel  coats,  10  drawing  knives,  10  shirts, 
10  tobacco  boxes,  10  childrens'  shirts,  10  pairs  of  hose, 
10  pairs  of  shoes,  50  lbs.  powder,  50  bars  of  lead, 
10  cutlasses,  10  hatchets,  10  scissors,  10  tobacco 
tongues,  100  flints,  2  rolls  tobacco,  20  gallons  of  rum, 
2  vats  of  strong  beer,  and  1  barrel  of  cider."  These 
lands  were  relinquished,  and  the  Indians  residing 
thereon  united  with  Maringoman  at  his  castle  on 
Murderer's  Creek,  about  eight  miles  from  its  con- 
fluence with  the  Hudson. 

It  will  be  observed  that  what  is  now  the  Towns  of 
Marlborough  and  Platekill  were  embraced  tin  ithis  tract. 
This  land,  purchased  by  Gov.  Dongan,  was  conveyed 
by  Gov.  Benjamin  Fletcher,  his  successor,  in  a  patent 
to  Capt.  John  Evans,  dated  September  12,  1691,  and 
was  called  the  Manor  of  Fletcherdon.  The  patent, 
however,  was  in  1699,  annulled  by  an  act  of  the 
•  Colonial  Assembly,  and  the  land  reverted  to  the 
Crown.     It  was  claimed  that  while  these  lands  were 


20  History  of  Marlborough. 

in  the  possession  of  Evans,  no  settlements  were  made, 
except  one  by  a  family  near  Murderer's  Creek,  but. 
by  bis  petition  it  appears  that  he  had  planted  several 
families  of  Scotch  and  Irish  on  the  lands  and  had 
disl)ursed  a  large  sum  of  money  in  clearing  and  im- 
proving the  same,  and  it  is  quite  certain  that  Dennis 
Eelje  (Relyea),  or  as  he  was  afterwards  called  "  Old 
Dennis  "  was  settled  on  the  stream  that  is  now  called 
the  Old  Man's  Kill  at  the  present  village  of  Marl- 
borough soon  after  Evans  got  the  patent.  He  was 
the  first  settler  of  the  town  of  whom  we  have  any 
knowledge;  and  the  stream  or  kill  there  was  called 
after  him.  We  find  it  so  called  in  the  year  1697. 
Evans  tried  very  hard  to  have  this  patent  restored  to 
him  and  he  made  the  following  petition: 

To  the  Queen's  most  excellent  ]\lajesty 

The  humble  Petition  of  John  Evans  Captn  of  your  ^lajestv's 
ship  the  Defiance  Sheweth  —  That  your  petitioner  beino;  Com- 
mander of  the  Kichmond  Man-of-Warr  in  the  year  1693.  was 
sent  to  attend  the  ]n-ovince  of  New  York  in  America,  where  he 
continued  almost  six  years,  and  performed  considerable  Sen'ice 
for  the  benefit  of  that  Colony. 

That  Coll:  Benjamin  Fletcher  then  Govr  of  Xew  York  in 
consideration  thereof  and  of  five  hundred  ])ounds  paid  to  him 
by  your  Petitioner,  in  lieu  of  liis  established  fees  upon  grants 
of  lands,  by  letters  Patent  under  the  great  seal  of  that  province, 
granted  unto  your  petitioner  and  his  heirs,  a  large  tract  of  un- 
appropriated land  called  Murderers  creek,  containing  18  miles 
in  length  fronting  on  Hudson's  Eiver,  and  30  miles  l)ackwards 
which  had  l)een  bought  l)y  Coll  Dongan  when  Govr  of  New 
York  from  the  Indian  natives  for  seventy  pounds.  On  which 
tract  your  Petitioner  expended  great  sums  of  money  in  clearing 
several  places  for  Farms,  and  jdanted  several  familys  of  Scots 
and  Irish  under  Annual  rents,  intending  to  retire  thither  him- 
self, when  there  sliould  he  a  happy  and  lasting  peace. 

That  after  Coll :  Fletcher  and  your  Petn'r  l)eing  commanded 
from  New  York  to  Engld  the  late  Earl  of  Bellamonte  next 
succeeding  Govr  of  that  Colony,  having  conceived  some  pre- 
judice to  them  Ijoth,  and  designing  to  take  to  his  own  use  and 
profit  several  tracts  of  land  which  had  been  granted  by  Coll : 
Fletcher  to  your  Petitioner  and  others  in  order  thereunto,  pro- 


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Map  of  Towx,  1874. 


The   Town  of  Marlborough.  21 

cured  an  Assembly  to  be  cliosen  of  Ignorant,  necessitous  and 
profligate  persons  (most  of  them  Dutch)  who  by  his  direction 
passed  an  Act,  Intitled:  an  Act  for  destroying  extravagant 
grants  made  l)y  Coll :  Fletcher,  whereby  Your  Petitioner  was 
stript  of  liis  lands  and  improvements,  but  the  said  act  being 
sent  over  for  the  confinnation  of  the  late  King  Williaui  the 
third.  His  ]\Iajesty  upon  a  true  representation  of  the  ill  prac- 
tices used  to  obtain  that  act,  refused  to  confirm  it,  Init  not 
rejecting  it,  the  same  continued  in  force  till  repealed  l)y  a 
subsequent  law. 

That  upon  tlie  arrival  of  the  Lord  Viscount  l'ornl)ury  to 
that  Governmt  the  iuhabitants  of  tlie  ])rovinc(',  tiiinking  their 
Titles  precarious  whilst  such  an  Act  remained  in  force,  applyd 
for  redress  to  the  first  Assembly  conven'd  l)y  His  Lordp,  who 
by  anotlier  Act,  unanimously  re})ealed  the  said  Act  passed 
during  the  Earl  of  Bellamont's  administration,  w]iercl)y  Your 
Petitioner  was  restored  to  and  enjoyed  his  lands,  till  Your 
llajesty  sent  a  great  numl)er  of  Palatines  to  Xew  A'ork.  when 
Your  Majesty  liaving  not  been  truly  informed,  how  those  acts 
were  olttained.  was  prevailed  on  to  confirm  the  Act  of  Assembly 
made  during  the  Lord  Bellamont's  time,  for  destroying  Coll: 
Fletcher's  Grants  and  to  reject  the  said  Act  of  Repeal  passed 
in  tlie  Lord  Cornlniry's  tiuu\  and  to  gi'ants  Your  Petitioner's 
lands  to  those  Palatines,  hy  which  means  your  Petitioner,  who 
has  been  in  your  jMajesty's  sea  service,  during  your  whole  IJeign 
and  faithfully  discharged  his  trust,  is  deprived  of  his  property, 
and  of  an  Estate  for  which  he  had  been  offered  ten  thousand 
])ounds  sterling  money  in  England,  without  being  heard  in  his 
defence  or  having  the  least  notice  thereof,  till  at  his  last  I'eturn 
from  the  Straights,  he  was  informed  of  it  to  his  great  surprise: 

Your  Petitioner  therefore  most  humbly  prays,  that  Your 
Majesty  will  be  graciously  pleased  to  restore  him  the  said  Traet 
of  Land  (there  being  other  unappropriated  lands  in  Xew  York 
sufficient  to  receive  the  Palatines)  or  to  give  your  Petitioner 
an  equivalent  for  it.  And  your  Petitioner  shall  ever  pray  ettc. 
Xov.  1.  1:11. 

Evans  never  recovered  these  lands,  and  it  became 
the  i)olicY  of  the  government  thereafter  to  discontinue 
granting  snch  extensive  tracts,  hnt  to  issue  smaller 
patents  to  actnal  settlers,  or  to  those  who  wonld 
settle  people  upon  them.  The  lands  embraced  in  what 
is  now  the   Town   of   ^Tarllwrongh  were   granted  hr 


22  History  of  Marlborough, 

patent  to  John  Barbarie,  Griggs  and  Graliam,  William 
Bond,  Archibald  Kennedy,  Lewis  Morris,  and  Com- 
pany, and  George  Harrison.  Hugh  Wentworth  ap- 
pears to  have  had  a  patent  on  the  line  of  this  town, 
and  between  that  and  a  line  from  Paltz  Point  to  Blue 
Point.  A  description  of  the  patents  will  be  hereafter 
given.  . 

There  was  no  civil  organization  of  the  lands  now 
embraced  in  the  Town  of  Marlborongh  until  after  the 
colony  called  the  Palatines  settled  in  1709  where  New- 
burgh  now  is.  In  1710  the  Precinct  of  Highlands  was 
formed  with  limits  undefined,  by  an  order  of  the  Court 
of  Sessions  of  Ulster  county. 

The  .organization  of  the  territory  remained  the 
same  until  1743  when  by  an  Act  of  Assembly  three 
full  precincts  were  formed,  having  all  the  officers  of 
towns  and  exercising  all  their  duties.  These  precincts 
so  formed  were  Wallkill,  Shawangunk,  and  High- 
land precincts.  Highland  embracing  what  is  now 
Marlborough,  Plattekill,  Xewburgh  and  New  Windsor. 
It  emlu'aced  the  patents  lying  along  the  Hudson  River 
from  Murderer's  Creek,  (Moodney  Creek,)  to  the  line 
of  New  Paltz,  and  was  more  particularly  described 
in  the  Act  of  1743  as  '*  bounded  on  the  eastward  by 
Hudson's  River,  on  the  southward  by  Murderer's 
Creek,  on  the  westward  by  the  east  bounds  of  Cold- 
en's,  Johnson's,  Van  Dam's,  and  Barbarie 's  patents, 
and  north  by  the  south  bounds  of  Paltz  patent." 

The  })recinct  meetings  were  to  l)e  held  "  at  the 
house  of  John  Humphrey,  Jr.  (at  Little  Britain),  on 
the  first  Tuesday  of  April,  annually,"  for  the  elec- 
tion of  precinct  officers. 

In  1743,  by  an  Act  of  Assembly,  for  the  better  clear- 
ing and  further  laying  public  roads,  Ca|)t.  Thomas 
Ellson,  Capt.  Alexander  Colden,  and  Mr.  Zacharias 
Hofman,  Jr.,  were  appointed  commissioners.  The 
roads    were    to    be    four    rods    wide    except    through 


The  Town  of  Marlborough.  23 


meadows  and  improved  lands,  each  of  the  commis- 
sioners to  receive  for  compensation  a  sum  not  to  ex- 
ceed six  shillings  a  day  for  each  day  as  a  reward  for 
his  care  and  trouble. 

The  precinct  of  the  Highlands  continued  in  exist- 
ence for  more  than  fifty  years  and  until  1762  (I  am 
unable  to  find  any  record  of  its  proceedings  or  history 
during  this  tim-e,)  when  it  was  divided  into  the  precincts 
of  Newburgh  and  New  Windsor  by  a  line  beginning 
at  the  mouth  of  Quassaick  Creek  and  running  thence 
along  the  south  bounds  of  a  tract  of  land  commonly 
called  the  German  Patent  to  another  tract  granted  to 
Alexander  Baird,  and  then  along  the  southerly  l)ounds 
of  the  said  last-mentioned  tract  to  the  Wallkill  pre- 
cinct; all  the  lands  heretofore  comprehended  within 
the  said  Highland  precinct  lying  to  the  southward 
of  the  aforesaid  dividing  line  to  be  called  by  the 
name  of  New  Windsor  precinct  and  all  the  lands 
heretofore  comprehended  within  the  said  Highland 
precinct  lying  to  th«  northward  of  the  said  line  to  be 
called  by  the  name  of  Newburgh  precinct. 

By  an  Act  of  Assembly  in  1762,  Capt.  Jonathan 
Hasbrouck,  Lewis  DuBois,  and  Samuel  Fowler  were 
appointed  Commissioners  of  Highways. 

The  Act  of  Assembly,  passed  December  11,  1762, 
which  divided  the  Highland  precinct  into  the  pre- 
cincts of  Newburgh  and  New  Windsor,  directed  that 
the  first  precinct  meeting  should  be  held  at  the  house 
of  Capt.  Jonathan  Hasbrouck.  This  house  is  the 
present  Washington  Headquarters  at  Newburgh,  and 
the  records  of  the  persons  chosen  to  the  different  offi- 
ces, and  the  business  transacted  at  the  precinct  meet- 
ings is  given  for  nine  years  up  to  1772.  These 
are  hereafter  given  in  full  for  the  reason  that  the 
transactions  apply  to  the  territory  which  is  now  the 
city  and  town  of  Newburgh  in  Orange  county  and 
-the   towns   of   Marlborough   and   Plattekill    in   Ulster 


24  HisTOKY  OF  Marlborough. 

—  all  at  the  time  being  within  the  limits  of  Ulster, 
and  the  relations  of  Plattekill  and  Marlborough  have 
always  been  closely  intimate  with  Newburgh;  in  fact 
they  have  always  been  dependent  upon  Newl)urgh  as 
a  ))nsiness  center,  and  it  is  thought  it  might  be  inter- 
esting to  the  peoi)le  of  the  southern  part  of  the 
county,  and  also  of  Newburgh,  to  have  the  records 
in  their  entirety.  It  is  impossible  to  locate  the  resi- 
dences of  the  different  persons  named;  many  of 
them  were  residents  of  Marlborough  and  Plattekill, 
and  some  of  the  roads  laid  out  at  the  time  are  now 
within  the  bounds  of  Marlborough  and  Plattekill,  and 
the  ] population  of  what  is  now  Marlborough  and 
Plattekill  was  about  the  same  as  what  is  now 
Newl)urgh. 

In  1772  by  an  Act  of  Asseml)ly  the  Newburgh  pre- 
cinct was  divided  l)y  a  line  running  along  the  north 
bounds  of  the  Plarrison,  Bradley,  AVallace,  Kip  and 
Cruger,  and  Jamison  Patents  to  the  precinct  of 
Shawangunk,  "  all  the  lands  lying  to  the  northward 
of  said  line  to  be  called  and  known  by  the  name  of 
New  Marlborough  Precinct,  and  all  the  land  south  of 
said  line  to  continue  to  be  called  Newlnirgh  Precinct." 
This  Act  of  1772  provided  that  the  first  precinct  meet- 
ing should  be  held  on  "April  ye  7th,  1772,  at  the 
house  of  Henry  Deyo  in  Lattintown."  A  full  set  of 
precinct  or  town  officers,  except  commissioners,  were 
chosen  and  other  business  transacted,  and  it  is  quite 
plain  to  distinguish  whether  the  persons  named  re- 
sided in  what  is  now  the  Marlborough  or  Plattekill 
part.  The  proceedings  of  that  meeting  are  herein- 
after given.  By  Act  of  Assembly,  1772,  Samuel  Car- 
penter, Lewis  DuBois,  Caleb  Merritt,  Joseph  Morey 
and  Richard  Woolsey  were  appointed  Commissioners 
of  Higliways  for  the  precinct. 

The  ]^recinct  of  New  Marlborough  l)ecame  a  town 
and  took  the  name  of  the  town  of  New  Marlborough 


The  Town  of  Marlborough.  25 

in  1788.  In  the  year  1800  what  is  now  the  town  of 
Plattekill  was  set  off  and  Marlborough  was  left  as  it 
is  to-day.  When  the  law  of  1813  was  enacted,  divid- 
ing the  county  into  towns,  the  boundaries  of  Marl- 
borough were  stated  as  follows:  ''  That  part  of  the 
county  of  Ulster  bounded  easterly  l)y  the  middle  of 
Hudson's  River,  southerly  by  Orange  county,  west- 
erly by  a  line  beginning-  on  the  line  of  the  said  county 
of  Orange,  two  chains  and  seventy-five  links  east  of 
the  north  corner  of  a  tract  of  land  called  the  five 
])atentees;  from  thence  on  a  straight  line  northward 
to  the  most  easterly  bounds  of  Kobert  Teft's  land 
where  it  joins  the  town  of  New  Paltz,  and  northerly 
by  a  tract  of  land  granted  to  Louis  DuBois  and  his 
partners,  called  the  New  Paltz  Patent,  shall  be  and 
continue  a  town  by  the  name  of  Marlborough."  The 
area  of  the  town  is  l-l:,300  acres,  and  th-e  population  in 
1900  was  4,000. 

What  is  known  as  the  Evans  tract,  mentioned  else- 
where, formerly  embraced  the  whole  territory  of  this 
town  and  much  more.  This  was  an  immense  tract 
embracing  many  thousand  acres,  and  granted  by  the 
then  Governor  to  Capt.  John  Evans. 

There  was  a  controversy  during  1691,  1(392  and 
1693,  as  to  the  propriety  of  making  a  grant  so  large. 
On  the  accession  of  the  Earl  of  Bellomont  to  the 
governorship,  he  and  the  assembly  annulled  the  trans- 
action, but  the  act  was  not  ap]^roved  by  William  III ; 
it  w^as  suffered  to  remain  as  the  law,  but  the  grant 
was  annulled  in  May,  1699,  and  the  land  reverted  to 
the  crown. 


CHAPTER  IL 
Patents  and  Land  Grants. 

The  original  subdivisions  of  the  town  were  made  in 
early  times  by  large  land  grants  or  patents  convey-ed 
by  the  Province  of  New  York  in  the  name  of  the  King 
or  ruler  of  Great  Britain  for  the  time  being.  Most 
were  made  to  favorites  for  nominal  considerations  and 
only  one,  Captain  William  Bond,  settled  ui>on  the 
lands  so  granted. 

The  first  patent  was  granted  to  John  Barbarie  in 
1709,  as  follows: 

Anne  by  the  Grace  of  God,  of  Great  Britten,  France  and  Ire- 
land, Queene  Defender  of  Faith,  by  the  Governor  of  the 
Province  to  John  Barbarie.  Paying  therefore  yearly  and  every 
year  from  thence  forth  at  our  Custom  House  in  the  City  of 
New  York  to  our  collector  or  receiver  general,  then  for  ye  time 
being  at  or  upon  ye  Fiirst  day  of  St.  Michael, 'the  Archangel, 
(commonly  called  Mk-halmas  Day),  the  rent  or  sum  of  two 
shillings  and  six  pence  for  every  100  acres  of  land  and  within 
the  s])ace  of  three  years,  clear  and  make  improvements  of  three 
acres  of  land  at  the  least  for  every  50  acres,  and  if  not  done  to 
revert  back. 

Beginning  on  the  west  side  of  Hudson  Eiver  at  the  south' 
bounds  of  ye  Paltz  Patent  and  runs  along  Hudson's  Eiver  on 
a  straight  line  southerly  100  chains  and  then  into  ye  woods 
Xorth  Gl  degrees  "West  182  chains  and  thence  in  ye  rear  Xorth 
22  degrees  East  180  chains  to  the  limits  of  ye  Paltz  and  soe 
by  the  said  limits  South  55  degrees  East  184  chains  to  Hudson's 
Eiver  where  it  first  ])egan :  containing  2000  acres. 

It  will  be  seen  that  this  had  a  river  front  of  a  mile 
and  a  quarter,  extending  from  the  town  line  on  the 
north  to  about  where  the  brook  ■empties  into  the  river 
south  of  the  Handley  dock.  Mostly  all  of  ]\rilton  is  on 
this  tract. 

The  next  patent  was  the  Bond  Patent,  1710,  which 
patent  I  give  in  full  to  show  the  conditions  of  these 

[27] 


28  History  of  Marlborough. 


grants.     They  are  all  substantially  the  same  and  are 
quit'e  a  curiosity  at  this  day : 

Anne,  ])\  the  grace  of  God,  (juene  of  Gieat  Britain,  France 
and  Ireland,  defender  of  the  faith  <.V'c.,  to  all  whom  these 
presents  shall  come,  or  may  in  any  wise  concern,  greeting: 

Whereas,  onr  loving  subject,  William  Bond,  by  his  humble 
petition  presented  to  our  trusty  and  well  beloved  Eol)ert  Hunter, 
Esquir,  Captain  (Tenerall  and  Governour-in-chief  of  our  provinc 
of  New  York  and  territory  depending  thereon  in  America,  and 
Vic  Admirall  of  the  same  in  Council  hath  prayed  our  Grant  and 
confirmation  of  a  certain  tract  of  Land  in  the  County  of  Ulster, 
being  part  of  the  Land  formerly  granted  to  ("aptain  John 
Evans,  now  vacated  and  reserved : 

Beginning  on  the  West  side  of  Hudson's  river,  in  the  line  of 
the  South  l)()un(ls  of  the  land  of  Mr.  John  Barbaric,  it  runs 
with  the  said  Line  up  into  the  Avoods  Xorth  sixty-one  degrees. 
West  oiie  hundi'ed  and  seventy  chains,  thence  South  three 
degrees.  East  fifty-one  chains,  thence  South  sixty-one  degrees, 
East  one  Innidred  and  fifty  chains  to  Hudson's  ri\er;  thence  up 
the  river  Runs  to  the  place  where  it  first  begun,  containing  in  the 
whole  six  Inmdred  acres  English  measure,  being  bounded  North- 
ward by  the  said  land  of  the  said  John  Barbaric,  Westward  by 
land  not  yet  surveyed,  Southward  l)y  land  not  yet  surveyed,  and 
Eastward  by  Hudson's  river  aforesaid,  tlie  wliich  Petition  we 
being  willing  to  grant 

KNOW  YE  that  of  our  especiall  grace  certain  knowledge  and 
nieer  motion  we  have  given,  granted,  ratified  and  confirmed 
and  by  these  presents  do  for  us,  our  heirs  and  successors  give, 
grant,  ratify  and  confirm  unto  the  said  William  Bond,  all  that 
the  said  grant  of  land  and  premises  above  mentioned  and  de- 
scribed witli  the  liereditaments  and  appurtenances  thereunto 
belonging  within  the  limits  and  bounds  aforesaid,  together  with 
all  and  singular  Woods,  I^nderwoods,  Trees,  Timl^er,  feeding 
Pastures,  meadow  marshes,  swamps,  Ponds,  Pools,  AVater, 
Water  courses.  Pivers,  Eivulets,  inert  or  in  action.  Runs  and 
streams  of  water,  fishing,  fowling,  hawking,  hunting,  mines  and 
niineralls,  standing,  growing,  lying  and  being  to  be  used  had 
and  Enjoyed  within  ye  Limits  and  Bounds  aforesaid,  and  all 
other  profits,  benefits,  privileges,  libertys  and  advantages, 
hereditaments  and  appurtenances  whatsoever,  unto  the  said  tract 
of  Land  and  Premises  and  any  part  and  paix-el  thereof  belonging 


Patents  and  Land  Grants.  29 

or  in  any  wise  appertaining,  and  all  our  estate,  riglit,  title,  inter- 
est, benefit  and  advantage,  claim  and  demand  whatsoever,  of,  in, 
or  to  the  said  tract  of  land  and  premises  with  the  hereditaments 
and  appurtenances  aforesaid  and  every  part  and  parcel  thereof, 
and  the  reversion  and  reversions,  remainder  and  remainders, 
together  with  the  yearly  and  other  rents  and  profits  of  the  same 
tract  of  land  and  premises  and  of  every  part  and  parcel  thereof 
except  always  and  reserved  out  of  this  Our  present  grant  and 
Our  heirs  and  successors  all  such  firr  trees  and  pine  trees  of  the 
diameter  of  twenty-four  inches  at  twelve  inches  from  the  ground 
or  root  as  now  are  or  shall  l)e  fit  to  make  masts  for  Our  royall 
navy,  and  also  all  such  other  trees  as  are  or  shall  be  fitt  to  make 
masts,  planks  or  knees  for  the  use  of  our  navy  aforesaid  only 
which  are  now  standing,  growing  and  lying,  and  which  hereafter 
shall  stand,  grow  and  be  on  and  upon  the  said  tract  of  land  and 
premises  or  any  part  and  parcel  thereof  with  free  liberty  and 
license  for  any  person  or  persons  whatsoever  (by  us  Our 
heirs  and  successors  thereunto,  to  be  appointed  under  our  sign 
manual),  with  workmen,  horses,  wages,  carts  and  carriages,  or 
without  to  enter  and  come  into  and  upon  the  same  tract  of  land 
and  premises  or  any  part  thereof,  herel)y  granted  them,  to  fell, 
cut  down,  root  up,  hew,  saw%  rue,  have,  take,  cart  and  carry  away 
the  same  for  the  use  aforesaid  (and  also  except  all  gold  and 
silver  mines),  to  have  and  to  hold  all  that,  the  said  certain  tract 
of  land  and  premises  with  its  hereditaments  and  appurtenances 
hereby  granted  as  aforesaid  (except  as  before  excepted  only) 
unto  the  said  William  Bond,  his  heirs  and  assigns  forever  to 
the  sole  and  only  proper  use,  benefit  and  behoof  of  the  said 
William  Bond,  his  heirs  and  assigns  forever. 

To  he  holden  of  us  our  heirs  and  subjects  in  fee  and  common 
soccage  as  of  our  manors  of  East  Greenwich  in  the  County  of 
Kent,  within  our  realm  of  Great  Britain.  Yielding,  Eendering 
and  Paying  therefor  yearly  and  every  year  unto  our  heirs  and 
successors  from  henceforth  forever  at  our  custom  house  in  Xew 
York  to  our,  or  their  collectoT  or  receiver  (stationed)  there 
for  the  time  being  at,  or  upon  the  feast  day  of  Saint  Michael 
the  Archangle  (commonly  called  Michalmas  day),  the  yearly  rent 
and  sum  of  two  shillings  and  six  pence  current  money  of  our 
province  of  New  York  for  every  one  hundred  acres  of  land  of 
the  before  mentioned  tract  of  land  of  six  hundred  acres  here- 
inl)efore  granted  and  confirmed  in  lieu  and  stead  of  all  other 


30  HisTOEY  OF  Marlborough. 

rents,  dues,  duties,  services  and  demands  whatsoever.  Provided 
always  and  these  presents  are  upon  this  condition,  that  the 
said  William  Bond,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  some  or  one  of  them 
shall  and  do  within  the  space  of  three  years  now,  next  ensuing^ 
the  date  hereof  settle  there  and  make  improvements  of  three 
acres  of  land  at  the  least  for  eveiy  fifty  acres  of  the  said  tract 
of  land  of  six  hundred  acres  hereinbefore  granted,  and  in  de- 
fault thereof  the  said  Wm.  Bond,  his  heirs  or  assigns,  or  any  of 
them  or  any  other  person  or  persons,  by  his  or  their  consent, 
order  or  procurement  shall  set  on  fire  or  cause  to  be  set  on  fire 
and  burn  the  woods  on  the  said  tract  of  land  hereinbefore 
granted  or  on  a  part  or  parcel  thereof  to  sear  the  same,  that 
then,  and  in  either  of  these  cases  this  our  present  grant  and 
every  clause  and  article  herein  contained  shall  cease,  determine 
and  utterly  void  anything  herein  contained  to  the  contrary 
thereof  in  any  wise  notwithstanding.  And  we  do  and  hereby 
will  and  gTant  that  these  our  letters  patent  or  the  record  therof 
in  our  Secretaries  office  of  our  said  province,  shall  be  good  and 
effectival  in  the  law  to  all  intents  and  purposes  notwithstanding 
the  not  true  and  will  reciting  and  mentioning  of  the  premises- 
or  any  part,  thereof,  the  limits  and  bounds  thereof  of  any  former 
or  otlier  Letters  Patent  or  Grants  whatsoever  made  or  granted 
of  the  same  six  hundred  acres  of  land  and  premises  or  of  any 
part  thereof  being,  or  any  of  our  progenitors  unto  any  Person 
or  Persons  whatsoever.  Body  Politic  or  Corporate  or  any  law  or 
other  restraint,  uncertainty  or  imperfection  whatsoever  to  the- 
contrary  in  any  wise  notwithstanding. 

In  Testimony  whereof  we  have  caused  the  great  seal  of  our 
said  Province  to  be  hereunto  affixed  and  these  presents  to  be 
recorded  in  our  said  secretarie's  office,  ^yitness,  our  trusty 
and  well  beloved  Eobert  Hunter,  Esquire,  Captain  General  and 
Governor-in-Chief  of  our  said  ])rovince  of  Xew  York  and  prov- 
ince of  New  Jersey  and  the  territories  depending  on  them  in 
America,  and  Vice  Admiral  of  the  same  in  council  at  our  fort 
in  New  York  this  twelfth  day  of  June,  in  the  eleventli  year  of 
our  reign.  [l.   s.] 

To  this  interesting  old  document  is  appended  Queen 
Anne's  seal,  a  tremendons  affair  of  wax,  three  and 
one-lialf  inches  in  diameter.  A  similar  seal  is  attached, 
to  all  these  patents. 


Patents  and  Land  Grants.  31 

The  deed  of  the  Bond  Patent  is  in  the  hands  of  the 
Hallock  family  at  Milton,  and  they  still  own  some  of 
the  land. 

The  next  is  the  Griggs  &  Graham  Patent  granted  in 
1712: 

Beginning  at  the  North  side  of  the  South  branch  of  the  Old 
Man's  Kill  at  a  certain  point  of  land  between  the  said  branches, 
and  runs  along  Hudson's  Eiver  in  a  direct  line  102  chains, 
thence  into  the  woods  West  115  Chains  to  the  German's  land 
laid  out  there,  thence  South  34  degrees  West  120  chains  and 
thence  East  148  chains,  bounded  K'orth  and  South  by  land  not 
laid  out,  East  by  Hudson's  Eiver  and  West  by  the  German's 
and  land  not  laid  out;  containing  1200  acres. 

The  next  patent  was  to  Lewis  Morris  and  others 
in  1714: 

Beginning  at  the  north-west  corner  of  the  land  of  Alexander 
Griggs  &  Co.  and  then  running  as  the  river  line  of  the  said 
land  of  said  Alexander  Griggs  d-  Co.  runs.  South  54  degi'ees. 
West  120  chains  to  the  southermost  corner  of  the  said  land  of 
said  Griggs  &  Co.,  thence  South  75  chains  to  the  north  bounds 
of  the  land  of  Francis  Harrison,  Esq.  &  Co.  runs  west  into  the 
woods  160  chains  to  the  foot  of  the  Blew  Mountains,  then  as 
the  said  mountain  runs  travers  protracted  north  northeast  450 
chains  to  a  black  oak  marked  with  three  notches  and  a  cross  in 
all  four  sides,  thence  south  61  degrees,  east  55  chains  to  the 
northwest  corner  of  the  land  of  William  Bond,  thence  as  the 
river  line  of  said  land  of  William  Bond  runs  south  3  degrees,  east 
51  chains  to  the  southwest  corner  of  the  said  land  of  William 
Bond  and  thence  south  156  chains  to  the  place  were  it  first 
began,  containing  3600  acres  with  allowances  for  l)roken  barren 
land  and  highways. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  western  line  of  the  patent  is 
so  nncertain  that  I  cannot  tell  where  it  is  but  it  does 
not  include  the  western  part  of  the  town  as  far  north 
as  it  goes.  This  patent  was  known  and  always  went 
by  the  name  of  the  seven  patentees,  as  the  patent  was 
granted  to   seven  persons :    Lewis  Morris,  Augustin 


32  History  of  Marlborough. 

Graham,    Lymon    Clarke,    Henry    Wileman,    William 
Bond,  Henry  Bainer  and  Al-exander  Griggs. 

The  next  is  the  Archibald  Kennedy  Patent  for  two 
tracts  of  land  lying  on  the  river,  granted  in  1715 : 

1st,  Beginnin*^-  at  the  southeast  corner  of  the  land  of  Alex- 
ander Griggs  &  Co.  and  runs  west  l.")!)  chains,  thence  south  110 
■  chains  to  the  land  of  Francis  Harrison,  Esq.,  and  Co.,  then  east 
170  chains  to  Hudson's  river,  thence  as  the  river  runs  to  the 
place  vfliere  it   first  l)egan;  containing  1200  acres. 

2nd,  The  otlier  certain  parcel  heginning  at  the  northeast 
corner  of  the  land  of  said  Alexander  Griggs  &  Co.  and  run- 
ning west  72  chains,  thence  north  135  chains  to  the  line  of 
William  Bond's  land,  thence  south  61  degrees,  easterly  102 
chains  to  the  river  and  thence  as  the  river  runs  to  the  place 
where  it  hegan ;  containing  800  acres,  which  with  the  other 
parcel  aforesaid  coni])letes  2000  acres. 

This  first  lot  of  1,200  acres  is  the  southernmost 
patent  in  the  town  and  marks  the  town's  southern 
])Oundary.     It  adjoins  the  Francis  Harrison    Patent. 

The  next  is  the  George  Harrison  Patent,  granted 
in  1750: 

George  the  second.  l)y  tlie  Grace  of  God,  of  Great  Britten, 
France  and  Ireland,  Iving  and  Defender  of  the  Faith,     *     *     * 

To  all  to  whom  these  ])resents  shall  come  greeting: 

Whereas  our  beloved  subject,  George  Harrison,  did  by  his 
humble  petition  })resented  to  our  trusty  and  well  beloved  George 
Clinton,  Captain  General,  Governor  in  Chief  of  our  Province 
of  New  York  and  Territories,  thereupon  depending  in  America, 
Vice-admiral  of  the  same  and  Admiral  of  tlie  white  squadron 
of  our  fleet.     *     *     * 

Granted  l)y  jiatent  2000  acres  to  George  Harrison  in  three 
tracts:  The  first  of  which  tracts  l)eginning  at  the  southwest 
corner  of  a  certain  tract  of  land  containing  800  acres  granted 
to  Archibald  Kennedy,  Esq.  and  in  the  line  of  the  north  bounds 
of  a  certain  tract  of  land  granted  to  Augustus  Graham  and 
Alex.  Griggs,  runs  from  the  said  southwest  corner  along  the 
west  l)ounds  of  the  said  land  granted  to  Archibald  Kennedy, 
Xorth  171  chains  to  the  South  bounds  of  a  certain  tract  of  land 
granted  to  William  Bond,  thence  along  his  said  south  l)oimds 
North  ()1  degrees,  West  4(3  chains  to  the  Southwest  corner  of 


Patents  and  Land  Grants.  33 


William  Bond's  lands  aforesaid,  thence  along  the  line  of  the 
East  bounds  of  a  certain  tract  granted  to  Lewis  Morris  and 
others,  south  196  chains  to  the  northwest  corner  of  land  grante<l 
to  Augustus  Graham  and  Alexander  Griggs  aforesaid  and  then 
along  the  line  of  their  north  Ijounds  East  40  chains  to  the  place 
where  this  tract  first  l)egan :  containing  705  acres  and  the  usual 
allowances  for  highways. 

The  second  lot :  This  tract  beginning  at  the  southwest  cor- 
ner of  the  lands  granted  to  John  Barbarie  and  runs  thence 
along  his  west  bounds  and  to  a  straight  line  which  runs  from 
the  point  in  the  High  Hills  on  the  west  side  of  the  Paltz  River 
now  commonly  called  and  known  by  the  name  of  the  Paltz 
point  to  a  point  on  the  west  side  of  Hudson  River  commonly 
called  and  known  by  the  name  of  Jeffrow's  hook  or  point, 
N"orth  22  degrees,  East  176  chains  and  30  links,  then  along  the 
aforesaid  line  from  the  said  Paltz  point  to  the  said  Jeffrow's 
point  or  hook,  North  56  degrees.  West  55  chains,  thence  South 
21  degrees,  West  181  chains,  thence  South  61  degrees,  East  51 
chains  to  the  place  where  this  tract  first  began;  containing  900 
acres  and  the  usual  allowances  for  highways.     *     *     * 

This  lot  is  partly  in  Marlborough  and  partly  in 
Lloyd.     The  third  lot  is  entirely  in  Plattekill. 

In  January,  1793,  Gerard  Banker,  then  State  Treas- 
urer, conveyed  to  Daniel  Graham  1841  acres  of  land. 
This  tract  commenced  ''  at  the  southwest  corner  of 
the  lands  granted  to  Morris  and  others  known  as  the 
seven  patentees,  thenc-e  running  along  the  west 
bounds  of  said  Morris  tract  411  chains."  *  *  * 
Some  of  this  land  lies  in  what  is  now  the  Town  of 
Marlborough,  but  most  of  it  is  in  the  Town  of  Platte- 
kill. It  will  be  seen  that  it  joins  the  west  line  of  the 
seven  patentees  and  it  is  hard  to  determine  just  where 
this  line  is. 

The  first  patent  along  the  river  on  the  north  was 
the  Barbarie  patent,  next  the  Bond,  and  the  next 
Kennedy,  next  Grigg  &  Graham,  and  the  next 
Kennedy. 

These  large  tracts  were  afterward  divided  and  sold 
to    actual    settlers.      Some    of    the    subdivisions    are 


34  History  of  Marlborough. 

herewith  given,  A  patent  was  conveyed  to  Solomon 
Simson  and  by  Solomon  Simson  and  others  to  Samuel 
Fowler,  John  Young,  Alex'r  Young,  Edward  Hal- 
lock  (grandfather  of  the  late  Nathaniel  Hallock),  and 
Levi  Quimby,  jointly;  this  was  in  what  is  now 
Plattekill. 

The  south  course  of  the  Bond  Patent  is  cut  on  the 
rock  on  the  south  side  of  the  highway  leading  to 
Lattintown  in  front  of  the  C.  S.  Northrip  house  and 
can  be  readily  seen  by  any  p-erson  on  passing  along 
the  road. 

Leonard  Smith  settled  in  the  north  part  of  the  town 
about  1762  and  died  there  a  few  years  thereafter. 
He  purchased  the  north  part  of  the  Barberie  Patent, 
being  1,000  acres;  this  adjoined  the  Samuel  Hallock 
tract  on  the  north,  both  together  containing  2,000 
acres  and  being  the  lands  embraced  in  the  original 
Barberie  Patent.  LTpon  the  death  of  Mr.  Smith,  his 
sons  became  the  owners  of  the  tract;  and  his  sons, 
Anning,  John  M.,  and  Leonard,  conveyed  a  part  of 
the  same  to  their  brother.  Luff,  and  is  described  as  a 
part  of  the  lands  granted  by  letters  patent  to  John 
Barberie,  March  24,  1709,  being  a  certain  part  of  the 
northern  moiety  of  said  patent.  It  is  supposed  that 
this  tract  of  1,000  acres  was  divided  between  the 
children  of  Leonard  Smith,  but  I  only  find  the  deed  to 
his  son  Luff.  Some  of  these  lands  are  still  in  the 
Smith  family. 

This  tract  was  the  northern  part  of  what  is  now 
the  Town  of  Marlborough  and  was  bounded  on  the 
south  by  the  Samuel  Hallock  part  of  said  patent,  east 
by  the  Hudson  river,  north  by  the  line  of  the  Paltz 
Patent,  now  Lloyd  line,  and  west  by  the  mountain; 
the  farm  of  the  late  Lewis  Smith  was  a  part  of 
this  tract.  It  contained  the  site  of  the  old  Smith 
Mills  and  docks  of  ancient  times,  the  ancient  burial 
ground  of  the  Indians  and  the  cornfields,  and  the  old 


Patents  and  Land  Grants.  35 

Smith  graveyard,  where  many  of  the  first  settlers  of 
that  part  are  buried. 

The  southern  portion  of  the  Barbarie  Patent  deeded 
by  Abner  Brush,  by  Thomas  Colden,  sheriff,  to 
Samuel  Halloek,  dated  1776,  consideration  £2,111,  con- 
veys lands: 

Being  part  share  and  })i-oportion  of  a  certain  tract  of  land 
situate  npon  Hudson's  Eiver  in  the  County  of  Ulster,  which 
fell  to  the  share  of  a  certain  Richard  Albertson  in  his  life  time 
upon  the  division  and  partition  of  a  certain  tract  of  land  pur- 
chased in  1751  by  said  Richard  All^ertson  and  one  Hugh  Went- 
worth  in  their  life  time,  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Barberie,  containing 
about  2000  acres  of  land  and  the  usual  allowance  for  highvays. 
One  share  and  proportion  of  said  tract  that  fell  upon  the  divi- 
sion and  partition  thereof  unto  the  said  Richard  Albertson, 
is  the  part  of  the  said  tract  of  land  lying  and  being  on  tbe 
south  side  of  a  line,  beginning  on  the  west  side  of  Hudson's 
River  at  a  heap  of  stones  erected  by  mutial  consent  and  agTce- 
ment  of  the  said  Albertson  and  Wentworth,  a  little  to  the 
northward  of  Nicolls  landing  having  a  small  arberbite  sapling 
near  it  and  to  run  from  said  heap  of  stones  to  a  heap  of  stones 
in  the  rear  line  of  the  above  named  tract,  also  one  half  part 
of  40  acres  on  the  north  side  of  the  said  partition  line  which 
was  reserved  for  tbe  use  of  a  saw  mill  to  be  erected  thereon 
jointly  between  the  sd   Albertson  and  Wentworth. 

The  deed  is  witnessed  by  John  Bennitt  and  George 
Clinton,  afterward  Governor  Clinton. 

The  above  tract  was  the  land  granted  by  patent  to 
John  Barbarie  of  2,000  acres.  Upon  his  death  it 
appears  to  have  become  the  property  of  his  wife. 
Elizabeth  Barbarie,  and  she  sold  to  Richard  Albert- 
son  and  Hugh  Wentworth.  It  was  then  divided  be- 
tween them  by  a  line  running  from  the  river  west 
through  the  middle  of  the  tract  to  the  middle  of  tha 
rear  line.  Albertson  had  the  south  part.  He  con- 
veyed to  Brush,  and  Brush  to  Halloek,  1,000  acres. 
This  land  laid  along  the  north  side  of  the  Bond 
Patent,  and  was  granted  to  Barbarie  about  1710  by 
letters  patent  from  the  King.    Brush  built  and  resided 


36  History  of  Marlborough. 

in  the  house  where  Charles  W.  Carpenter  recently 
died.  Nicolls'  landing  was  afterward  called  Brush's 
dock  or  landing.  It  was  at  what  is  now  called  Sand's 
dock.  It  was  a  very  ancient  landing,  and  sloops  and 
vessels  sailed  from  there  to  New  York  City  and  car- 
ried wood  and  produce  for  many  years.  There  was 
also  a  ferry  run  l)y  Samuel  Hallock. 

Samuel  Hallock  l)y  executrix,  Sarah  Hallock,  widow 
and  relict,  conveyed  to  Benjamin  Sands  and  others : 
Deed  dated  May  1,  1786;  consideration  £2,000.  Fol- 
lowing is  the  description: 

Southerly  moiety  or  1-2  part  of  tlie  patent  orranted  to  John 
Barbarie  commencing  at  Hudson  River  at  north-east  corner  of 
Bond  Patent  of  600  acres,  and  runs  west  along  the  north  line 
of  said  Bond  Patent  and  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  other 
half  of  the  Barl)arie  Patent  owned  by  Anning  Smith  and  others, 
and  also  the  undivided  one-balf  interest  in  the  40  acres  on  the 
north  of  the  line  to  l)e  used  for  a  saw  mill  &c  jointly. 

Benjamin  Sands  and  others  sold  to  Isaac  Hill  by 
deed  dated  June  28,  1799,  conveying  the  Milton  dock 
proi)erty : 

Beginning  at  rock  marked  "■  J  H  "  to  Sutton's  line  or  north 
bounds  of  Bond's  patent,  along  said  patent  line  to  road  leading 
from  Sutton's  saw  mill  to  the  river,  1  acre,  2  rods,  1-i  perches, 
dwelling  liouse,  store  house  and  wliarf. 

Isaac  Hill  sold  to  William  Soper;  the  deed  dated 
April  18,  1809,  conveyed  the  above  piece  of  land  and 
dock,  and  reserves  22  feet  by  12  feet  for  a  burial 
ground,  as  the  same  was  formerly  fenced  by  Isaac 
Hill  to  whose  benefit  and  to  his  heirs  the  above 
reservation  is  made,  but  they  are  to  keep  the  fence  in 
repair  at  their  own  expense. 

Soper  conveyed  to  Absalom  Barrett,  May  2,  1836. 
Barrett  to  David  Sands  and  Josiah  Lockwood,  March 
1,  1845.  Sands  and  James  Sherman  and  George  G. 
Reynolds,  assignees  of  Lockwood,  to  Sherburne  Sears, 
April   13,   18-1:7.     Sears   to   Jacob   Handley,   April  1, 


Patents  and  Land  Grants.  37 


1850 ;  and  Haudl-ey  by  his  last  will  and  testament  de- 
vised the  property  to  Theophelia  G.  Townsend,  and  she 
conveyed  the  same  to  her  son,  "William  H.  Townsend, 
Angust,  1907. 

Benjamin  Sands  built  the  dock  soon  after  he  ob- 
tained the  deed  from  Sarah  Hallock.  It  was  at  that 
time  very  small  and  has  been  enlarged  from  time  to 
time  and  has  been  in  constant  use.  It  is  a  favorite 
landing  place  for  all  kinds  of  vessels. 

William  Bond  conveyed  his  lands  to  his  daughter, 
Susanna  Bond,  and  she  conveyed  to  William  Weynant, 
A.I).  1752,  viz. : 

In    consideration    of    natural    aifection    and    love    which    she 
bears  nnto  her  nephew  William  Weynant  also  for  and  in  con- 
sideration of  5  pounds,  all  that  full  100  acres  being  a  part  and 
parcel  of  the  above  described  tract  of  600  acres  to  1)e  taken  and 
allowed  by  him  the  said  William  Weynant  in  any  part  of  the 
said  690  acres  in  regular  shape  or  form,  either  square  or  oblong 
as  it  shall  suit  him  in  time  or  form. 
Delivered  in  tlie  presence  of 
Thomas  Knollton 
David  Eaxdal 

Acknowledged  and  proven  Ijefore 

Cadwallader   Coldex. 

One  of  His  Majesty's  Council  for 

the   Province  of   New  York. 

Susanna  Bond  also  conveyed  a  tract  of  land  to 
Jurian  Mackey  out  of  the  said  patent  of  600  acres  as 
follows: 

Xear  Dam's  Commer  being  a  part  of  the  patent  of  Capt. 
William  Bond  the  west  side  of  Hudson's  Eiver  joining  north 
by  Barbaree,  east  by  Hudson's  Eiver,  south  by  Woolsey,  west- 
erly by  Cornel  Moresses  patent,  that  is  to  say,  one-half  on  the 
north  side  excluding  100  acres  belonging  to  said  Mackey  and 
a  piece  belonging  to  Capt.  Daniel  Gardner  *  *  *  and  my 
two  negro  men.  wench  and  child,  one  called  or  known  l)y  the 
name  of  Shadwel.  the  other  by  the  name  of  Orendata  Orendetes, 
the    girl   liy    the    name   of    Saterea    Orendetes,    and    her   child 


38  History  of  Marlborough. 

Thomas,  and  all  my  horses  and  cattle  with  all   my  moveable 
thingp. 

Proven  and  acknowledged  before  Levi  Pawling,  one  of  the 
judges  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas. 

It  would  appear  from  this  deed  that  Susanna  Bond 
parted  with  her  slaves  at  this  time,  1754. 

She  also  conveyed  a  tract  of  land  out  of  the  Bond 
Patent  in  1763  to  James  Hunter.  In  this  conveyance 
she  is  designated  as  spinster,  and  conveys  to  James 
Hunter,  a  free  mulatto,  yeoman,  all  the  Bond  patent 
of  600  acres. 

Excepting  and  always  reserving  out  of  the  limits  and  l)ounds 
aforesaid  100  acres  of  land  formerly  conveyed  Ijy  the  said 
Susanna  Bond  to  William  Weygant,  his  heirs  &c,  also  100 
acres  conveyed  Ijy  her  to  Jurian  Mackey,  his  heirs  &c  and  also 
all  that  part  of  said  tract  which  the  said  Susanna  Bond  for- 
merly conveyed  to  Jesse  Hallock,  his  heirs  &c     *     *     * 

It  appears  from  this  conveyance  that  she  at  this 
time  parted  with  the  l^alance  of  the  Bond  Patent  and 
she  must  have  died  soon  after,  as  I  find  that  she  is 
dead  in  1765.  She  lived  to  a  good  old  age,  as  she  and 
her  father  settled  on  the  patent  at  Milton  in  1712,  and 
the  tradition  is  that  she  was  a  woman  at  that  time 
and  kept  house  for  her  father  and  sui)erintended  the 
work  of  their  slaves  when  her  father  was  absent. 
She  was  never  married  and  she  and  her  father  died 
upon  the  lands  and  were  buried  there. 

I  find  that  William  Bond  conveyed  all  of  the  Bond 
Patent  to  his  daughter  in  October,  1739,  and  she  after- 
ward made  the  conveyances  which  are  al>ove  given. 
He  also  conveyed  to  her  his  other  lands. 

It  seems  that  James  Hunter  in  1765  conveyed  his  • 
land  to  John  Belfield.     Belfield,  by  sheriff,  conveyed 
to  Jacob  Griffin,  1771.    William  Bond  died  about  1710 
and  his  daughter  lived  alone  upon  the  lands  until  the 
time  of  her  death  except,   it   is   supi)osed,   that  her 


Patents  and  Land  Grants.  39 

nephew,   William   Weynant,   lived   with   her,   as    she 
afterward  gave  him  a  deed  of  a  part  of  the  land. 

The  two  negro  men  and  the  wench  that  she  sold  to 
Jurian  Mackey  at  the  time  she  conveyed  the  100  acres 
of  land  to  him,  were  slaves  that  were  brought  from 
Africa  and  purchased  by  William  Bond,  and  they 
retained  their  original  African  names.  It  is  shown 
they  had  more  slaves  at  different  times;  several  had 
died  and  some  were  sold  before  this;  and  after  the 
sale  to  Mackey  it  is  ciuite  likely  she  retained  some 
to  take  care  of  her,  though  no  mention  is  made  of  any 
slaves  in  her  conveyance  to  James  Hunter.  He  is 
spoken  of  as  a  free  mulatto.  It  is  most  likely  that 
he  had  been  one  of  her  slaves  and  that  she  had  pre- 
viously set  him  free  or  he  had  purchased  his  freedom, 
and  she  conveyed  to  him  the  balance  of  the  Bond 
Patent  after  excepting  the  parts  that  she  had  sold; 
he  retained  the  lands  for  a  few  years,  and  I  find  men- 
tion of  him  again  twice. 

The  Jesse  Hallock  to  whom  she  had  deeded  some 
of  the  land  must  have  been  a  non-resident,  as  I  find 
no  mention  of  him  afterward,  and  none  of  his  name 
have  ever  heard  that  such  a  person  existed.  He  most 
likely  conveyed  his  land  to  Edward  Hallock. 

Susanna  Bond  had  a  sister  Jane  who  married  Jurey 
Wygant.  In  December,  1762,  she  conveyed  to  this 
sister  a  tract  of  land  in  the  town  of  Plattekill  whieh 
had  belonged  to  William  Bond  &  Co.  under  an  other 
grant.  In  October,  1764,  Jane  Wygant  and  Jurey, 
her  husband,  conveyed  the  same  lands  to  their  son, 
Michael  Wygant.  I  speak  of  this  to  show  that  Su- 
sanna did  have  a  sister.  The  tradition  about  it  has 
always  been  that  Susanna  was  the  only  child  of 
William  Bond.  Certainly  everything  that  William 
Bond  had,  he  gave  to  her,  and  Susanna  conveyed  some 
of  her  property  to  her  nephew,  William  Wygant,  and 
some  to  her  sister  Jane  Wygant.    These  people  all  re- 


40  History  of  Marlborough. 

sided  here,  and  these  Wygants  were  among  the  first 
in  the  town.  William  Wygant  selected  his  100  acres 
out  of  the  southeast  part  of  the  Bond  Patent.  Wygant 
conveyed  to  Elijah  Lewis  and  Lewis  to  William  Eley 
in  1780.  This  is  the  land  now  owned  by  Silverman, 
Fisk,  Hyde,  Sturgeon  and  others.  It  is  supposed  that 
William  Wygant  built  the  Sturgeon  house. 

Kennedy  sold  his  80()-acre  tract  to  Jacob  Gomez; 
and  Daniel  and  Abram,  children  of  Jacob  Gomez,  sold 
the  tract  to  Eichard  Woolsey.  In  May,  1754.  Richard 
Woolsey  sold  a  })art  of  this  tract  to  Richard  Harcourt. 
This  is  described  as  follows: 

All  that  certain  piece  of  land  situate  on  the  west  side  of 
Hudson's  Eiver  in  the  Precinct  of  Highlands  in  Ulster  County, 
Province  of  New  York,  heginning  at  Hudson's  Eiver  at  a  pitch 
pine  sapling  marked  on  four  sides  with  stones  around  it;  from 
thence  north  73  degrees  west  79  chains  to  a  stake  with  stones 
round  it,  from  thence  south  one  degree,  east  3()  chains  to  a  stake 
with  stones  around  it,  from  thence  south  73  degrees  east  71 
cliains  and  50  links  to  Hudson's  River  to  a  white  pine  bush 
marked  on  four  sides  with  a  heap  of  stones  round  it,  from 
thence  along  the  river  to  the  place  where  it  begins.  256  acres, 
bounded  North,  West  and  South  by  other  lands  of  Richard 
AVoolsey,  East  by  Hudson's  River. 

In  1770,  Richard  Woolsey  conveyed  to  Thomas 
Knowlton  211  acres  of  this  tract.  It  is  described  as 
being  in  the  precinct  of  Newburgh,  the  northern  part 
of  the  Highland  precinct  having  by  this  time  been 
formed  into  a  separate  district  called  Newburgh  Pre- 
cinct. This  tract  is  described  as  being  on  the  north  of 
Harcourt 's  land  and  extending  along  the  river  and  as 
far  back  as  Harcourt 's  line.  In  1760,  Richard  Wool- 
sey conveyed  another  part  of  this  tract  to  his  son, 
Benjamin;  afterward  a  part  to  his  son,  John;  and 
John  conveyed  203  acres  to  his  son,  Henry. 

Richard  AVoolsey  sold  155  acres,  on  the  south  side 
of  what  he  sold  to  Harcourt,  to  Edward  Hallock,  and 


Patents  and  Land  Grants,  41 

Edward  Hallock  sold  to  Jolm  Youngs,  June,  1776.    In 
the  ancient  deed  it  is  described  as  follows : 

All  that  certain  parcel  of  land  situate  on  the  west  side  of 
Hudson's  river,  bounded  as  follows:  Beginning  at  Richard 
Harcourt's  southeast  corner  of  his  farm  at  Hudson's  river, 
thence  running  along  his  line  north  73°  West  75  ch.  &  50  links 
to  a.  stake  and  stones  and  in  Benj.  Woolsey's  corner,  thence 
running  along  his  line  8  1°  and  50"  E  iO  ch.  &  95  links  to 
another  heap  of  stones  and  in  John  Woolsey's  corner,  thence 
along  his  line  *  *  *  to  a  chestnut  oak  tree,  marked  on 
three  sides  with  three  notches  and  a  blaze,  standing  on  the  bank 
of  Hudson's  river,  thence  northerly  along  the  said  river  to  the 
place  of  beginning;  containing  155  acres. 

It  appears  from  the  amonnt  sold  out  of  this  patent 
that  there  were  over  1,000  acres  including  barren 
lands. 

James  Graham  of  the  city  of  New  York,  the  eldest 
son  and  heir-at-law  of  Augustine  Graham,  deceased, 
conveyed  to  Zachariah  Hoffman  all  that  one-half  part 
of  the  Griggs  &  Graham  Patent  of  1,200  acres.  Prior 
to  this  time  Alexander  Griggs  conveyed  his  one-half 
part  to  Jurey  Quick  and  Jurey  Quick  in  1727  leased 
his  part  of  the  tract  to  Zachariah  Hotfman,  and  in  the 
lease  it  is  spoken  of  as  follows: 

Beginning  at  a  certain  ])oint  of  land  I)etween  the  two  ))ranches 
of  the  stream,  in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  5  shillings  to  him 
in  hand  paid  by  the  said  Zacliariah  Hoffman: 

All  that  certain  one-half  or  equal  moiety,  l)eing  part  of  the 
lands  granted  to  C'apt.  John  Evans  and  now  resumed.  *  *  * 
Beginning  at  the  north  side  of  the  south  branch  of  the  Old 
Man's  Kill  102  chains  along  the  river  west  into  the  woods  115 
chains,  south  120  chains,  east  148  chains  to  place  of  beginning, 
containing  1200  acres  l)e  the  same  more  or  less. 

Leased  for  the  term  of  one  whole  year  from  then  next  ensu- 
ing, yielding  and  paying  therefor  to  the  said  Jury  Quick  the 
rent  one  pepper  corn  only  at  the  feast  of  the  annunciation  of 
the  blessed  Virgin,  Mary,  it  the  same  shall  lawfully  be  de- 
manded. 


42  History  of  Maelboeough. 

It  appeared  to  have  been  the  custom  at  that  time  to 
leas-e  the  lands  before  executing  a  mortgage  or  deed 
upon  them,  and  the  next  day  after  this  lease  Quick 
executed  a  mortgage  to  Hotfman  in  consideration  of 
70  pounds  upon  these  same  lands,  and  in  1741  Quick 
and  his  son,  Thomas  Quick,  sold  these  lands  to  Hoff- 
man for  80  pounds,  so  it  will  be  observed  that  Hoff- 
man became  the  owner  of  the  1,200  acres  without  pay- 
ing much  money.  Hoffman  afterward  died  and  his 
two  daughters,  Geartry  DuBois,  and  Ida  Hoffman, 
liecame  the  owners  of  the  entire  patent,  and  Geartry 
DuBois  conveyed  her  part  to  Lewis  DuBois  by  deed 
as  follows: 

To  all  People  to  whom  these  Presents  come  or  may  in  any- 
wise concern. 

•  Geartry  Dubois,  widow  of  Xathaniel  Dubois,  Late  of  tlie 
County  of  Orange  and  Province  of  Xew  York,  Deceased  sendeth 
greeting.  Know  ye  that  whereas  Jachariah  Hoffman,  Late  of 
Schawangunk  in  Ulster  County  and  province  aforesaid,  De- 
ceased; By  his  last  Will  aird  Testament  in  writing  Bearing 
Date  the  twenty-fifth  Day  of  February  in  the  year  1743  &  4 
among  other  things  therein  contained  Did  Give,  Devise  and 
Bequeath  all  that  Certain  Tract  of  Land  Containing  Twelve 
hundred  acres  fonnerly  Granted  By  Patent  to  Augustine  Gra- 
ham &  Alexander  Griggs  Situate  lying  and  being  upon  Hudson 
Piver,  County  of  Ulster,  province  of  New  York,  and  then 
in  the  Tenure  of  Jury  Quick  with  tlie  Heriditants  and  Appur- 
tenances thereunto  l)elonging  unto  his  two  Daughters,  Namely 
the  said  Geartry  Dubois  and  his  Daughter  Ida  and  to  their 
heirs  and  assigns  forever  to  be  equally  Divided  Between  them 
as  by  the  said  Will  and  Testament  being  had  may  more  fully 
and  at  Large  appear. 

And  whereof  the  said  Geartry  Dubois  being  Possessed  of  the 
full  equal  half  Part  of  the  said  Tract  of  Land  above  Mentioned 
in  her  own  Eight  at  the  time  of  her  marriage  with  the  said 
Nathaniel  Dubois  for  and  in  consideration  of  the  Love  and 
Affection  which  she  hath  and  doth  bear  towards  Lewis  Dubois, 
her  son-in-law  and  for  Divers  other  Good  Causes  and  Valuable 
Considerations  her  thereunto  moving  Hath  Eemised,  Eeleased 
and  forever  Quit-claimed  *  *  *  unto  said  Lewis  Dubois 
*     *     *     All  the  Estate,  Ei<;ht,  Title     *     *     *     in  and  to  all 


Patents  and  Land  Grants.  4,3 

that  tlio  E((ual  half  Part  of  the  said  twelve  hundred  acres 
Tract  aljove  mentioned  *  *  *  -^yhich  said  half  Part  of 
said  Tract  the  said  Lewis  Duhois  is  now  in  the  Possession 
thereof. 

Dated  June   11.   17(i;3. 

Acknowledged  Octol)er  21.  1TG4. 

Before  Charles  Clinton,  Esq.  one  of  the  Judges  of  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas. 

Ida,  the  daugliter  of  Hoffman,  married  Cornelius 
Bruyn,  and  in  1746  she  conveyed  her  undivided  one- 
half  part  of  the  patent  to  Nathaniel  BuBois  and  this 
descended  to  his  son,  Lewis  DuBois,  so  that  he  was  the 
owner  of  and  in  possession  of  the  lands  in  question 
some  time  before  he  received  the  deed  from  his  step- 
mother or  mother-in-law  as  above  stated.  When  he 
received  her  deed  he  was  the  owner  of  all  of  it.  I  find 
no  mention  of  Quick  afterward.  Quick  had  been  in  the 
possession  of  these  lands  for  a  long  while ;  he  was  as- 
sessed for  the  same  and  paid  taxes  on  them  under 
the  assessment  roll  of  1724,  1725  and  1726  and  other 
years.  There  has  always  been  a  tradition  in  the  town, 
and  the  Quick  family  have  always  claimed  and  con- 
tended, that  Jurey  Quick,  their  ancestor,  owned  all 
this  tract  of  land,  or  the  undivided  one-half  interest 
in  it,  and  that  he  was  turned  out  of  it  with  very  little 
consideration. 

Lewis  DuBois  was  in  possession  of  these  lands  at 
the  time  he  got  his  deed  in  1763  from  his  stepmother, 
and  the  presumption  is  that  he  had  been  there  several 
years  and  was  living'  there  under  title  from  his 
father;  for  at  the  time  he  was  interested  in  various 
projects  and  had  agreed  to  give  to  the  Marlborough 
Society  two  acres  of  land.  The  subscription  list  for 
the  church  states,  "  Providing  that  Lewis  DuBois 
does  give  two  acres  of  land.  " 

On  April  8th  of  the  next  year,  he  did  execute  a  deed 
for  the  land  to  John  Woolsey  and  Stephen  Case,  first 
trustees.    He  was  the  largest  subscriber,  giving  fifteen 


44  History  of  Marlborough. 

pounds  on  the  first  and  eight  ])oiinds  on  the  last  sub- 
scription, so  he  must  have  been  a  man  of  means,  and 
doing  business  at  this  time. 

Pie  had  previously,  but  the  year  caimot  be  ascer- 
tained, erected  a  large  house,  substantially  the  same 
as  the  house  now  stands,  which  is  owned  by  John 
Rusk.  It  was  all  forest  at  the  time  and  the  trees  were 
cut  down  and  hewn  into  timber  right  where  the  house 
stands.  It  was  one  of  the  first  frame  houses  in  the 
country,  and  from  its  size  and  general  appearance, 
and  so  unusual  for  those  times,  that  it  made  cpiite  a 
sensation  and  p-eople  came  long  distances  to  see  it. 
Jurey  or  Jurian  Quick  as  he  was  sometimes  called,  ap- 
joears  to  have  been  in  possession  of  these  lands  for 
many  years.  He  was  evidently  placed  in  possession 
by  Graham  &  Griggs,  tire  original  patentees,  as  it  was 
necessary  in  order  to  hold  the  patent  that  there  should 
be  some  actual  settler  upon  it,  and  a  certain  num])er  of 
acres  should  be  cleared  every  year.  He  also  paid  the 
taxes,  and  continued  in  possession  after  Zachariah 
Hoffman  became  the  owner,  and  after  his  death,  and 
while  his  daughters  were  the  owners. 

Judging  from  the  deed,  Lewis  DuBois'  first  wife 
was  his  own  cousin.  He,  DuBois  was  born  in  1728 
and  died  in  1802.  Among  other  children  he  left  one, 
Lewis  DuBois  who  died  in  1854.  He  was  the  father  of 
twelve  children,  among  others  Nathaniel  H.,  who 
was  born  at  Marlborough  in  1815,  and  died  in  the 
past  year.  He  was  the  grandson  of  tlie  old  Colonel. 
He  spent  his  whole  life  at  Marll)orough,  and  was  a 
man  of  good  business  qualities,  and  always  identi- 
fied with  the  interests  of  the  town.  His  mind  and 
memory  were  always  strong,  and  they  were  as  clear 
as  ever  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  Every  one  in  the 
southern  portion  of  Ulster  county  was  well  acquainted 
with  Nathaniel  DuBois.     He  was  generous,  kind  and 


Patents  and  Land  Grants.  45 


respected  by  all.    One  of  his  last  acts  was  to  place  a 
clock  in  the  tower  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

It  would  appear  from  the  will  of  Lewis  DuBois  that 
this  tract  of  land,  the  Graham  &  Griggs  patent,  said  to 
be  1,200  acres  (lands  were  cheap  in  those  times  and 
they  gave  good  measure)  actually  contained  1,486 
acres  by  a  survey  made  by  DuBois  in  178G.  He  says 
in  his  will : 

Also  I  give,  devise  and  bequeath  unto  ray  son  Lewis  all  that 
part  of  the  tract  of  land  whereon  I  now  dwell,  granted  l)y 
letters  patent  bearing  date  the  fifth  day  of  June  Anno  Domini 
1713  unto  Augustine  Graham  and  Alexander  Griggs  which 
part  of  the  said  tract  hereby  devised  to  my  son,  Lewis :  Begins 
at  a  walnut  tree  fomierly  marked  with  three  notches  on  four 
sides,  for  the  northwest  corner  of  said  tract  where  two  stone 
fences  meet,  thence  along  the  westerly  bounds  thereof  as  the 
magnetic  needle  pointed  in  the  year  1T86  *  *  *  to  a  cer- 
tain point  of  land  at  the  north  side  of  the  south  l)ranch  of 
the  Old  Mans  Kill,  being  tlie  place  of  beginning  mentioned 
in  the  said  letters  patent  *  *  *  containing  eight  hundred 
and  twenty-four  acres  be  the  same  within  the  liounds  more  or 
less  *  *  *  Also  I  give  and  berpieath  unto  my  son,  Wilhel- 
mus,  all  the  southerly  part  of  the  said  tract  being  bounded  as 
follows:  to  wit:  Beginning  at  the  south  side  of  the  Old  Man's 
Kill  aforesaid,  at  a  certain  point  of  land  between  the  said 
branches,  being  the  place  of  beginning  mentioned  in  the  afore- 
said letters  patent  and  runs  from  thence  along  the  south 
bounds  of  the  said  tract  as  the  needle  pointed  Anno  Domini 
178G.  *  *  *  Containing  six  hundred  and  sixty-two  acres 
be  the  same  Avithin  the  l)0unds  aforesaid  more  or  less. 

I  find  a  field  book  and  map  of  partition  made  of  a 
tract  of  land  situate  in  the  Town  of  Marlborough, 
County  of  Ulster,  the  property  of  the  children  of 
Wilhelmus  DuBois,  deceased,  in  May  1810:  612  acres 
including  a  lot  containing  ly-  acres,  known* as  the 
Meeting-house  lot,  and  is  designated  on  the  map 
as  Lot  A,  and  also  another  lot  containing  IY2  acres 
distinguished   on   said   map   as   the   Reservation   lot, 


46  History  of  Marlborough. 

to  L.  DiiBois,  which  said  lots  are  excepted  and 
reserved  out  of  said  lands  intended  to  be  divided. 
The  commissioners  were  Isaac  LeFevre,  Nehemiah 
L.  Smith  and  John  Wood,  the  last  two  of  this  town 
and  were  sworn  before  William  Soper,  one  of  the 
judges  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas.  The  commis- 
sioners divided  the  lands  in  two  allotments,  the  west- 
ern and  eastern  allotments;  the  western  into  4  lots. 

1st  lot,  Jolm    W.    Wvgant 14-5  acres 

2nd  "     John    Dulwis    143  9/10     " 

3rd  "     Cornelius  Dul)nis    143  4/10     " 

4th    "     Nathaniel  Dul)ois    148  4/10     " 

The  eastern  allotment  were  village  and  town  lots 
and  water  lots. 

1st,  alloted  to  Xatlianiel  Dubois,  water  lot  Xo.  1,  3  9/10 
acres. 

And  village  lots  1,  2  and  3,  each  containing  one  acre  and 
extending  along  Main  street  as  said  village  or  town  lots  were 
laid  out  in  1704. 

2nd,  alloted  to  John  I)ul)ois,  water  lot  Xo.  2  containing 
3  7/10  acres. 

And  village  lots  6,  7  and  8  extending  along  JMain  street, 
each  lot  containing  one  acre  as  the  same  were  Initted  and 
bounded  in  the  year  1764  Avhen  the  same  were  laid  out. 

3rd,  alloted  to  Cornelius  Dul)ois,  water  lot  Xo.  3  containing 

3  7/10  acres. 

And  Lot  B  of  village  and  town  lots  on  IMain  street  contain- 
ing one  acre,  also  lots  4  and  5  of  said  village  along  Main  street, 
each  one  acre,  as  same  were  laid  out  in  17G4. 

4th  allotted  to  John  AV.  AVygant,  water  lot  Xo.  4  containing 

4  3/10  acres. 

Also  C  and  D  of  village  lots,  C  lot  containing  1  2/10  acres 
along  Main  street.  D  Lot  containing  one  acre  aloug  Main 
street. 

9 

I  see  that  by  this  map  and  survey  there  was  a  stone 
marked  '' M.B.Y.  1764",  set  in  the  ground  in  the 
south-west  corner  of  the  Meeting-house  lot.  It  ap- 
pears from  these  proceedings  that  in  1764,  a  village 


Patents  and  Land  Grants.  47 

was  laid  out  and  lots  survej^ed  and  described  and 
numbered  and  a  map  made,  but  I  am  unable  to  find  it. 
This  map  of  1810  gives  only  the  lots  that  were  set  off 
in  the  distribution  at  that  time,  but  refers  to  the  map 
and  survey  of  1764. 

I  had  never  heard  of  it  before,  and  do  not  think  any- 
one of  this  generation  ever  knew  that  our  ancestors 
were  so  ambitious,  that  they  should  at  the  early  date 
of  1764  lay  out  and  prepare  for  a  future  village ;  it 
would  seem  that  they  chose  the  most  available  place 
for  a  town,  and  had  an  idea  that  a  town  would  there  ])e 
built;  they  were  liberal  in  the  size  of  the  lots,  an  acre 
or  more  to  the  lot,  but  settlers  did  not  arrive  as  soon 
as  they  expected;  there  were  soon  rumors  of  war,  and 
in  1775,  war  was  declared  with  the  mother  country, 
and  for  the  next  eight  or  ten  years,  the  desolating 
hardships  of  war  impoverished  all  the  people  and 
improvements  were  at  a  standstill.  For  many  years 
after  the  war,  the  increase  in  population  was  slow, 
and  the  adjoining  towns  of  Newburgh  and  Pougli- 
keepsie  by  their  energy  and  inducements  obtained  the 
larger  share  of  the  settlers  coming  from  abroad. 

Archibald  Kennedy  conveyed  his  tract  of  1,200 
acres  to  Lewis  Gomez;  and  Mordecai,  Daniel  and 
David  Gomez  as  executors  of  their  father,  Lewis 
Gomez,  in  1748,  conveyed  the  same  to  William  Camp- 
bell and  Arcliil)ald  Duffie,  and  on  March  28,  1750  Camp- 
bell and  Duffie  of  Ulster  county  conveyed  the  same 
to  Francis  Purdy  and  Georg^e  Merritt. 

On  the  14th  day  of  August,  1754,  Francis  Purdy 
conveyed  606  acres  in  two  lots  —  484.5  acres  west  of 
the  road  and  121.5  acres  east  of  the  road,  along  the 
north  side  and  adjoining  the  Griggs  and  Graham 
patent ;  the  balance  was  conveyed  by  Merritt  to 
Purdy.  The  partition  and  division  of  these  lands  had 
been    submitted    to    Alexander    Colden    and    Samuel 


48  History  of  Marlborough. 

Decker,  On  the  18th  day  of  March,  1751,  they  made 
their  award  in  wiiting,  dividing  the  property  as  above. 
Colden  also  surveyed  the  lands  and  made  a  map  of 
the  same  which  is  attached  to  the  deed ;  and  Cadwal- 
lader  Colden  as  one  of  His  Majesty's  Council  took  the 
proof  or  acknowledgment  of  the  deed.  It  was  sealed 
and  delivered  in  the  presence  of  Alexander  Colden 
and  Henry  Cropsey.  This  deed  is  in  the  possession  of 
John  C.  Merritt,  the  great-great-grandson  of  George 
Merritt  and  is  a  great  curiosity  in  its  way,  but  owing 
to  its  great  length  it  cannot  be  given  here,  only  re- 
ferred to  as  follows: 

"And  Whereas  by  the  Award  made  in  Writting-  Indented 
under  the  hands  and  Seals  of  the  said  Alexander  Colden  and 
8anuiel  Denton  bearing  Date  the  Eighteenth  Day  of  March 
last  past  the  said  George  Merrit  is  to  Have  and  Hold  Seventy 
two  Acres  more  than  his  one  full  and  Eqnall  half  part  of  the 
aforesaid  Tract  or  Parcell  of  Land  as  by  the  said  in  part  re- 
cited Award  relation  being  therennto  had  may  more  fully  and 
at  Large  appear.  Now  This  Indenture  Witnessetii  That 
for  a  Partition  and  Devission  of  the  said  herein  before  men- 
tioned and  Described  Tract  or  Parcell  of  Land  It  is  Covenanted 
Granted  Concluded  and  Agreed  upon  by  and  between  the  said 
Francis  Purdy  and  George  Merrit  That  the  Creek  or  run  of 
Water  commonly  called  and  known  by  the  Name  of  the  Saw 
Mill  Creek  from  where  the  Highway  Crosses  said  Creek  shall 
be  the  Partition  or  Devission  of  that  part  of  the  herein  before 
Described  Tract  or  parcell  of  Land  lying  between  said  High- 
way and  Hudson's  Eiver.  The  benefit  of  the  Stream  from  said 
Highway  to  said  Eiver  to  be  and  remain  in  Common  And  that 
a  line  of  marked  trees  running  West  from  a  Stone  Set  upon 
the  West  side  of  said  Highway  at  the  Distance  of  two  Gliains 
and  two  rods  measured  on  a  Streight  line  Northerly  from  a 
bridge  laid  over  said  Saw  Mill  Creek  Shall  be  the  Devission 
and  Partition  of  That  part  of  the  above  mentioned  Tract  or 
parcell  of  Land  lying  on  the  West  Side  of  said  Highway  wdiicli 
said  Creek  from  Hudson's  River  to  said  Highway,  the  Highway 
from  the  said  Creek  to  said  Stone,  and  the  line  of  marked  trees 
from  said  Stone  as  Deliniated  in  the  Draft  or  Map  hereunto 
Annexed  is  and  shall  remain  the  Partition  and  Devission  of 
the    above    mentioned    Tract    of    Land   l)etween   them    the   said 


Patents  and  Land  Geants.  49 

Francis    Purcl}'   and    George    Merrit   their   Heirs    and    Assigns 
forever "     *     *     *_ 

And  in  the  conveyance  l)y  Merrit  to  Purdy  of  tlie  sonth  part 
of  the  tract  or  the  land  sonth  of  the  dividing  line  reservation 
is  made  as  follows:  "(excepting  and  reserving  to  the  said 
George  Merrit  his  lieirs  and  Assigns  forever  the  priviledge  of 
a  good  and  Snfficietit  Cart  road  from  the  Highway  aforesaid 
to  the  Landing  at  the  Limekiln  Also  the  free  nse  of  said  Land- 
ing and  of  the  Lime  Kiln  and  whatever  Stone  he  and  they  may 
want  for  hnrning  of  Lime  witli  lilierty  to  Dig  np  and  Cart  the 
same  to  the  Kiln)."'     *     *     * 

And  it  was  further  pi'ovided: 

"That  either  of  the  said  Parties  or  the  Heirs  and  Assigns 
of  either  of  them  may  at  any  time  Erect  a  Mill  or  Mills  on  any 
part  of  said  Creek  between  said  Highway  and  Hudson's  River 
on  that  Side  of  the  said  Creek  next  adjoining  to  his  or  their 
own  Lot  And  may  Also  Dam  across  said  Creek  and  Join  the 
Dam  or  Dams  to  the  Land  of  the  other  of  said  Parties  and  take 
to  him  or  themselves  sole  benefit  and  Profit  of  such  Mill  or 
Mills  without  any  Let  hindrance  trouble  Denial  or  Interrup- 
tion of  the  other  of  said  Parties  his  heirs  or  Assigns."     *     *     * 

From  this  transfer,  it  will  be  seen,  that  there  was 
a  landing  and  limekilns  at  the  river  at  that  time;  the 
landing  was  most  likely  built  by  Lewis  Gomez  or  his 
sons,  and  if  so  it  was  very  old,  if  not  the  oldest  in  the 
town.  The  lime  burnt  at  the  kiln  supplied  all  that 
part  of  the  country  at  the  time. 

From  this  Lewis  Gomez'  Jew's  creek  derives  its 
name;  and  the  lands  which  Gomez  owned  then  were 
sometimes  assessed  to  "Mr.  Gomez,"  and  at  other 
times  to  "  Gomez  the  Jew."  This  creek  ran  through 
Gomez'  land.  These  limekilns  and  the  landing  were 
on  what  is  now  known  as  the  Kerr  place. 

The  first -sales  in  the  Lewis  Morris'  patent  were  to 
Henry  Lane;  he  sold  in  1753  to  Joseph  Carpenter, 
Benjamin  Stanton,  John  Caverly  and  Jolin  Latting  a 
tract  of  land  of  several  hundred  acres,  (600  or  800). 
Euphina  Morris  sold  to  Joseph  Carpenter  in  1753,  677 


50  History  of  Marlborough. 

acres ;  Samuel  Kniffin  sold  to  Joseph  Carpenter  390 
acres;  in  1776  Latting  Carpenter  sold  a  farm  to  Moses 
Qnimby.    This  was  all  in  the  Lattintown  valley. 

George  Harrison  sold  the  first  tract  of  his  patent, 
the  705  acres,  to  Cadwallader  Colden;  Colden  then 
sold  a  part  to  William  Wickham,  William  B.  Woolsey 
and  others.  Wickham  sold  to  Thomas  Woolsey  and 
William  B.  Woolsey;  W^illiam  B.  Woolsey  sold  to 
Caverly,  Hait  and  others.  Anyone  can  easily  trace 
the  title  to  his  farm  liack  to  the  original  tract  from 
which  it  came;  and  should  he  have  any  curiosity  in 
this  direction,  he  can  easily  trace  the  boundaries  of 
the  original  patents  or  land  grants. 

Most  of  the  patents  appear  to  have  been  sul)divided 
into  farms  between  1740  and  1780,  and  the  patentees 
were  succeeded  by  actual  settlers,  those  energetic 
pioneers  of  this  region  —  the  Carpenters,  Woolseys, 
DuBoises,  Harcourts,  Smiths,  Hallocks,  Purdys,  Cav- 
erlys,  Dajions,  Merritts,  Wygants,  Fowlers,  Younges, 
Quimbys,  Mackeys,  Woods,  Lewises,  Martins,  Quicks, 
Lesters,  Sands,  Kniffins,  and  others,  whose  descend- 
ants in  many  cases  still  own  and  occupy  much  of 
the  same  lands.  The  lands  were  v-ery  rough  and  hard 
to  clear  but  few  districts  promised  more  certain  re- 
turns for  labor.  The  land  was  rich  in  vegetable  mould 
and  produced  large  crops.  It  was  heavily  timbered, 
especially  suited  to  ship  building,  and  New  York  city 
furnished  a  convenient  market  for  all  kinds  of  wood 
for  building  and  for  fuel.  Coal  was  not  used  then. 
Numerous  sloops  and  sailing  vessels  of  all  kinds  af- 
forded easy  and  cheap  transportation. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Indians. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  this  town  was  inhabited  by 
Indians  of  different  tribes  long-  prior  to  and  at  the 
time  of  the  first  white  settlements,  though  we  cannot 
trace  any  forts  or  council  chambers  as  having*  been 
located  here.  The  nearest  was  just  over  the  line  at 
what  has  always  been  called  the  Dans  Kammer.  This 
was  a  noted  place  for  the  Indians  to  meet,  hold  coun- 
cils, and  have  war  dances  on  all  important  occasions, 
and  was  very  ancient. 

When  Hendrick  Hudson  first  sailed  up  the  river, 
Indians  came  aboard  his  ship  here  and  traded  skins 
for  knives  and  trifles. 

Dans  Kammer  is  next  referred  to  in  David  Pieter- 
zen  de  Vires'  Journal.  He  sailed  up  the  river  in  1640; 
arrived  off  the  Dans  Kammer  about  sunset  on  the  26th 
of  April  and  cast  anchor.  During  the  evening,  he 
states,  a  party  of  riotous  savages  assembled  there 
''who  threatened  trouble,"  and  that  "the  sloop's 
company -stood  well  on  their  giiard."  On  his  return 
(May  15),  he  tells  us  that  he  saw  many  Indians  "  fish- 
ing from  the  rocks  at  the  Dans  Kammer."  And  in 
the  Second  Esopus  War,  Lieut.  Couwenhoven  and 
some  friendly  chiefs  went  to  the  Dans  Kammer,  which 
then  appeared  to  be  the  headquarters  of  the  Esopus 
tribe,  to  secure  the  release  of  prisoners  taken  by  the 
Indians. 

Couwenhoven  remained  with  his  sloop  off  the  Dans 
Kammer  for  several  days ;  and  on  the  17tli  of  August, 
1663,  he  sent  a  message  to  Kregier  informing  him 
that  the  Indians  had  collected  about  four  hundred  men, 
and  were  pi-^paring  to  renew  their  attack  on  Esopus ; 
that  they  also  daily  threatened  him  "in  an  insuffer- 

[51] 


52  History  of  Marlborough. 

al)le  manner;"  that  lie  hourly  expected  the  arrival  of 
the  Sachems  who  had  already  been  gone  "  four  days 
about  the  captive  Christians,  and  should  know  the 
issue  of  his  mission;"  that  "the  Indians  who  lay 
there  about  on  the  river  side  made  a  great  uproar 
every  night,  firing  guns,  etc." 

Be  Lacet,  a  navigator,  who  sailed  u})  the  river  in 
1(324,  and  gave  a  detailed  description  of  the  country,, 
makes  no  mention  of  this  place,  l)ut  it  isn't  likely  that 
the  Indians  congregated  here  all  the  time — as  I  under- 
stand it,  it  was  only  at  certain  periods,  and  because 
De  Lacet  did  not  mention  this  place,  it  is  no  reason 
that  the  Indians  did  not  have  their  ceremonies  here 
at  the  time.  It  is  (piite  likely  that  the  Indians  had 
used  this  spot  a  long  time,  perhaps  hundreds  of  years 
l>efore  that,  and  they  congregated  here  up  to  the  time 
that  they  sokl  their  lands,  from  the  Paltz'  Patent  to 
Murderer's  Creek,  to  Governor  Dongan  in  1684,  which 
included  these  lands. 

They  never  had  any  permanent  residence  here;  no 
village  or  fortified  place.  It  is  not  known  that  they 
l)hinted  the  hinds.  This  was  a  great  place  to  fish,  and 
the  Indians  came  from  long  distances  back  in  the  coun- 
try on  liotli  sides  of  the  river,  and  carried  away  many 
fish.  They  came  here  from  time  to  time  to  have  their 
ceremonies,  remaining  for  several  days  and  sometimes 
for  weeks,  ])iit  made  no  permairent  abode.  The  place 
was  used  by  the  Tappans,  Harverstraws,  Esopus, 
Wappingers  and  other  tribes.  They  appear  to  have 
met  here  at  their  ceremonies  in  a  friendly  spirit. 
There  is  no  tradition  or  record  that  they  had  wars  or 
l)attles  here  —  it  was  one  spot  where  they  could  meet 
ill  peace.  No  reason  can  be  found  for  their  gather- 
ings unless  it  was  to  fish  or  hold  their  rites  and  cere- 
monies. 

There  has  never  lieen  any  Indian  name  for  the 
place.     The  early  Dutch  navigators  who  sailed  up  the 


Indians.  53 

river  over  two  centuries  ago,  gave  it  the  name  "  De 
Duj^fel's  Dans  Kammer"  (the  Devil's  Dance  cham- 
ber), and  it  has  ever  since  been  known  by  the  name  of 
Dan's  Kammer.  This  name  is  applied  to  the  point  of 
land  at  tlie  northwest  part  of  Newbnrgh  hay.  It  was  a 
level  piece  of  land  about  a  half-acre  separated  from 
the  mainland  by  a  marshy  tract  over  which  water 
flowed  at  times.  This  was  called  "  The  Little  Dans 
Kammer."  Across  from  this,  and  on  a  plateau,  lands 
formerly  owned  l)y  the  Armstrongs,  was  a  tract  called 
the  ''  Large  Dans  Kammer,"  which  occupied  several 
acres.  These  are  so  called  in  the  original  deeds  and 
are  spoken  of  in  patents  and  land  grants.  A  paper 
describing  the  natives  of  New  Netherland,  written  in 
1G71  says : 

"  At  these  meetings  conjurors  act  a  wonderful  part.  These 
tiiml)le,  with  strange  contortions,  head  over  lieels ;  heat  them- 
selves, leap  with  a  hideous  noise  through  and  around  a  hirge 
fire.  Finally  tliey  all  raise  a  tremendous  caterwauling,  when 
the  devil  a])])ears  (they  say)  in  the  shape  of  a  ravenous  or 
harmless  animal  —  the  first  betokens  something  bad,  the  second 
something  good." 

The  Indians  held  these  meetings  prior  to  starting 
on  expeditions  of  hunting,  fishing,  or  war,  to  ascertain 
whether  they  would  be  successful  or  not.  They  were 
certain  religious  rites,  and  were  in  the  nature  of  an 
appeal  to  the  God  or  Gods  they  pretended  to  worshi}). 

It  may  be  that  they  held  festivals  and  feasts  here, 
and  met  as  social  gatherings,  and  held  intercourse 
with  other  tribes,  upon  questions  of  war,  peace  or 
otherwise.  The  name  is  to  be  found  in  many  docu- 
ments and  papers  of  those  times,  and  must  have  been 
considered  a  matter  of  some  importance  by  both 
whites  and  Indians.  There  were  Indian  trails  extend- 
ing a  long  way  in  various  directions  to  this  place. 
There  was  one  trail  through  the  Lattintown  valley 
back  to  the  Shawangunk  creek  and  bevond;  there  was 


54  History  of  Marlborough. 

also  a  trail  following  up  the  Quassaick  creek,  and  from 
the  Delaware  river  by  way  of  Murder 'h  creek.  They 
came  there  from  up  and  down  the  river  in  their  canoes^ 
and  sometimes  large  numbers  of  canoes  were  seen 
there.  The  Indians  had  a  fort  called  Willmet  in  what 
is  now  Eosendale  or  Marbletown;  a  fort  at  what  is 
now  Kingston,  and  one  on  the  Mombackus,  now  Wall- 
kill;  one  at  what  is  now  Brunswick  in  Shawangimk, 
one  at  the  Vernoy  and  Rondout  Kill,  Warwarsing  and 
one  at  Bloomburgh.  All  these  are  spoken  of  in  the 
history  of  the  first  and  second  Esopus  Wars,  when 
Wiltwyck,  now  Kingston,  and  New  Dorp,  now  Hurley, 
w^ere  sacked  and  burned  by  the  Indians,  and  many 
people  not  only  killed  but  many  carried  into  captivity. 

There  was  also  a  fort  at  Quassaick  near  what  is  now 
Newburgh,  and  one  near  what  is  now  Fishkill  village. 
They  all  were  originally  called  the  Waranawankongs, 
but  after  the  settlement  here  of  the  whites,  they  were 
known  by  the  tribal  names  of  the  Esopus,  Warwar- 
sings,  Wappingers,  Minnesinks,  Quaissacks  and  other 
names.  These  Indians  were  apparentlv  of  the  same 
clan,  and  to  some  extent,  at  first,  assisted  the  Esopus 
Indians  in  their  war  on  the  settlers,  and  afterw^ard 
appear  to  have  been  instrumental  in  negotiating 
peace;  especially  was  this  the  case  with  the  Wappin- 
gers who  obtained  the  release  of  many  captives  taken 
in  the  Esopus  wars.  Small  clans  or  bands  of  these 
Indians  lived  and  had  villages  here,  though  in  times 
of  war  they  generally  repaired  to  the  fortified  places. 
They  had  their  fields  of  corn,  pumpkins,  beans,  etc., 
on  what  is  now  the  Lattintown  flats,  and  on  the  level 
lands  about  where  the  Rose  Brick  Co.  own  lands  north 
of  Milton.  The  hillocks  which  they  cultivated  every 
year  were  easily  discernable  by  the  first  settlers. 

There  was  an  old  Indian  burying  ground  about  one 
mile  north  of  the  present  Mary  Powell  landing,  at  the 


Indians.  55 

top  of  the  hill  alongside  a  small  stream  which  runs 
into  the  river,  where  the  Smith  mills  stood  in  olden 
times.  This  was  left  undisturbed.  The  first  settlers 
about  there  commenced  a  graveyard  on  the  west  of 
and  adjoining  the  Indian  graves.  This  graveyard  is 
known  as  the  Smith  graveyard.  Indian  relics  such  as 
Hint,  arrows,  and  spear  heads,  stone  axes  and  clubs 
or  pestles  for  crushing  their  corn  or  for  defence,  are 
found  about  the  town ;  a  gentleman  at  Milton  has  a 
fine  collection  of  the  same  —  most  of  them  picked  up 
on  his  farm.  Many  rocks  show  cavities  where  they 
cooked  their  food. 

There  has  always  been  a  tradition  that  some  of  the 
early  settlers  intermarried  with  the  Indians.  A  trail 
could  once  be  followed  from  the  back  country  where 
the  Indians  came  to  the  river  to  fish,  etc.,  but  the 
bravery  and  spirit  of  the  Indians  had  departed  before 
people  settled  here.  The  wars  which  they  had  waged 
with  the  Avhites  at  Wiltwyck  liad  subdued,  disheart- 
ened and  decimated  their  numbers.  Many  had  fled 
to  the  protection  of  the  Five  Nations  and  the  remnant 
were  always  cpiiet  and  peaceable,  became  somewhat 
civilized  and  lived  and  died  here.  There  is  no  knowl- 
edge or  tradition  that  they  ever  committed  any  depre- 
dation or  troubled  any  one,  or  that  any  took  part 
with  the  English  army  against  the  Colonies. 

I  find  in  the  description  of  an  ancient  road  that  it 
passed  ''  along  by  the  Indian  orchard;"  and  in  an- 
other description  it  reads  "  opposite  the  land  of 
Captain  John  Woolsey,  adjoining  a  little  west  of  his 
blockhouse,"  which  would  infer  that  it  was  a  security 
from  the  Indians. 

Several  Indians  remained  here  and  became  citi- 
zens, and  two  or  three  generations  since  several  fami- 
lies could  be  named  who  had  Indian  blood  in  their 
veins.    There  were  manv  traditions  about  the  Indians 


56  History  of  Marlborough. 

but  I  cannot  authenticate  them,  so  do  not  attempt  to 
relate  them. 

Sometime  about  1845,  Samuel  A.  Barrett  wrote  and 
published  a  beautiful  poem  about  the  Indians,  which 
was  founded  on  traditions  and  stories  told  to  him 
when  a  child  by  his  grandfather.  It  is  a  beautiful 
piece  of  literature,  and  is  here  produced  as  a  fitting- 
conclusion  to  this  article. 


■     MATXTOXOMATT. 
Pakt  First. 

They  waste  us;  ay.  like  April  snow 
In  the  warm  noon,  we  shrink  away; 

And  fast  they  follow,  as  we  go. 
Towards  the   setting'   day, 

Till  they  shall  fill  the  land,  and  we 

Are  driven  into  the   western  sea. —  Bryant. 

I. 

Tlie  forest  leoends  of  our  land. 

Tho'  wild  and  sad,  liave  yet  a  charm : 
Traced  by  Tradition's  faithful  hand. 

They  seem  with  Truth's  own  fervor  warm 
For,  blended  with  reality. 
They  take  the  hue  of  history, 
And.  handed  down  from  age  to  age, 
Live  long  on  memory's  mystic  page. 
Such  legends  I  have  listen'd  to. 

In  1)oyhood's  hour,  with  keen  delight : 
And  still,  before  my  mental  view. 

They  rise  as  vividly  and  bright. 
As  when  I  heard  my  grandsire  tell 

The  self-same  stories,  years  ago : — 
God  rest  his  aged  ashes  well. 

Now  sleeping  in  the  valley  low ! 
When  he  was  young,  the  forest  men 

Were  moving  toward  the  setting  sun; 
Like  lions  hunted  to  their  den. 

Still  loth  to  own  the  l)attle  won. 


Indians.  57 

He  was  no  warrior : —  yet  would  dwell 

On  fearful  scenes  with  much  delight, 
When  he  could  hear  the  savage  yell 

Burst  through  the  silent  gloom  of  night. 
He  often  spoke  of  Anne's  war, 

And  of  the  lovely  Horican,* 
Where  Quebec's  hero,t  from  afar. 

Disgraced  humanity  and  man ! 
He  knew  of  many  Sachems  great, 

Who  famous  were  in  days  of  yore; 
He  loved  their  stories  to  relate, 

And  would  rehearse  them  o'er  and  o'er. 
When  night  her  sal)le  curtain  drew, 

And  wintry  winds  swept  thro'  the  vale, 
And  snow-clouds  o'er  the  mountains  flew, 

He  told  to  me  this  simple  tale. 
But  first  he  said,  as  he  drew  nigh 

The  genial  hearth-fire,  blazing  high  — 
"  Eemember,  —  many  a  weary  day 

On  Time's  swift  wing  hath  passed  away, — 
Ay,  half  a  century  has  gone. 

Since  I,  myself,  the  story  heard ; 
Therefore  do  not  expect,  my  son, 

That  I  can  give  thee  word  for  word." 

11. 

'Twas  pensive  twilight;  and  the  sun  had  set 

Behind  the  woody  hillocks  of  the  west; 
Xo  ^ound  was  heard,  save  where  a  rivulet 

Bushed  thro'  a  grotto  to  the  Hudson's  breast. 
The  husbandmen  had  to  their  homes  retired; 

The  beasts  were  skunbering  on  the  verdant  mead; 
One  only  torch  a  caliin  window  fir'd, — 

And  through  the  gloom  a  feeble  lustre  shed. 
The  moon  arose,  and  with  her  borrow'd  light 

Threw  silvery  brightness  o'er  a  silent  world; 
The  stars  appeared,  to  gild  the  brow  of  Night, 

And  transient  meteors  thro'  the  air  were  hurl'd. 
Then  came  a  man  from  out  the  forest  shade, 

And  knelt  beside  a  grass-grown  sepulchre; 
His  solemn  manner,  and  his  voice,  betrayed 

At  once  his  ol)ject  and  his  character. 

*Horican  —  Lake   George — the   Indian    name. 

t  Quebec's   hero,   Louis   De   St.  Veran.   or  tlie  Marquis   of  Montcalm. 
Alluding  to  the  massacre  at  Fort  Henry,  17.57. 


58  History  of  Marlborough. 

III. 

"  Ghost  of  my  father !  "  cried  the  chief, 
"I  come,  to  ha  the  thy  tomh  with  grief; 
From  great  Manitto's  peaceful   throne, 
Look  down  and  hless  thy  only  son. 
Full  sixty  summers  have  passed  hy, 
Since  white-men  heard  thy  l)attle-cry, 

And  quailed  heneath  thy  hlow; 
Thou  wast  the  foremost  in  the  iight. 
To  wing  the  arrow  in  its  flight, 

And  strike  the  hated  foe !  " 
I  heard: — and  curiosity 

O'ercame  unmanly  fear. 
And,  stepping  lightly  o'er  the  lea, 

I,  unperceived,  drew  near. 
His  form  was  hending  to  the  ground, 

His  eyes  were  streaming  fast. 
He  muttered  an  unearthly  sound, 

Such  as  might  seem  his  last. 
An  Indian's  ear  is  never  dumh, 

Except  it  he  in  death ! 
An  Indian's  how  is  ne'er  unstrung. 

With  arrows  in  his  sheath. 
I  trode  as  lightly  o'er  the  grass, 

And   as   elastic,   too. 
As  in  the  gloomy  wilderness, 

The  prowling  panthers  do; 
But,  as  I  drew  still  nearer  hy, 

He   suddenly  arose, 
And  cast  on  me  a  piercing  eye, 

Still  moisten'd  with  his  woes. 
I  stretched  my  hand  high  in  the  air  — 

He  caught  the  [leaceful  sign. 
And   straight   returned   it.  standing  there 

Beneath  the  fair  moonshine. 

IV. 

"  Son  of  a  Pale-face  !  fear  me  not  — 

I  come  in  peace  " —  he  said, 
"  To  see  the  hill,  the  stream,  the  grot. 
The  hallow'd  mound  and  holy  spot, 
Where  ^laintonomah's  laid. 


Indians.  59 


My  head  is  white  with  many  years, 
Mine  eyes  are  dimm'd  by  many  tears, 

My  sinews  nerveless  grow; 
My  tomahawk  is  buried  deep, 
Beyond  the  mountains  high  and  steep, 

Where  Erie's  waters  flow; 
And  I  liave  hither  come  to  shed 
My  hist  tears  on  my  father's  head.'' 

V. 

*'A  weary  distance  thou  hast  come, 
Poor  Heathen !  from  thy  forest  home. 

To  visit  this  lone  mound," 
I  said  —  and  touched  it  with- my  foot: — 
Swift  as  a  bolt  from  heaven  shot. 
And  with  a  voice  of  thunder  sound, 
He  threw  his  hand  against  my  breast ! 
And  sternly  said — "Pale-face!  desist  — 

This  is  my  father's  grave ! 
By  every  tie  that  drew  me  here. 
By  all  things  that  I  hold  most  dear, 
And  by  ^lanitto's  self,  I  swear 

iS"o  insult  shall  it  have, 
AVhile  1  have  nerve  to  face  a  foe. 
Or  strength  to  draw  a  steady  bow! 
Like  all  of  thy  accursed  race. 

Thou  hast  no  reverence  for  the  dead. 
But  wouldst  profane  their  resting-place 

With  reckless  word  and  careless  tread  ! 
Xot  so  the  rod-men  —  every  mound 
That  hides  their  dead,  is  holy  ground ; 
And  sacred  as  the  memory 
Of  those  who  'neath  them  lowly  lie ! 
Didst  call  me  poor?     Yes,  I  am  poor, 

Since  cursed  white-men  fill  the  land. 
Where  lived  the  native  chiefs  of  yore. 

And  warriors  rose  at  their  command ! 
The  very  soil  on  which  you  tread 
Has  been  the  nurse  of  Indian  bread : 
These  rugged  hills  around  you  high. 
Have  echoed  to  our  battle-cry; 
Or  rung  with  mirth,  their  leafy  bowers, 
When  happiness  and  peace  were  ours. 


60  History  of  Marlboeough. 

That  river,  glittering-  like  dew. 

Beneath  the  nioonheanis  mild, 
Full  often  hore  the  light  canoe. 

When  Teton  was  a  child ! 
And  dost  thou  think  I  can  forget 

The  scene  of  all  my  joy, 
When  fortune  smiled,  and  I  was  yet 

A  happy  Indian  boy? 
Or  dost  thou  think  this  hallow\l  spot. 
My  father's  grave,  is  Avorship'd  not? 
Or  e'er  can  be  by  me  forgot? 
Xo !  the  Great  Spirit  bade  me  come 

And  weep  upon  this  mound. 
Ere  I  can  see  the  red-man's  home, 

The  Happy  Hunting-ground  !  " 

VI. 

"Although  the  homage  paid  by  thee, 

As  nothing  to  the  dead  must  be; 

Yet  it  may  soothe  thy  spirit  some. 

To  visit  thus  thy  father's  toml) ; 

And,  as  a  part  of  thy  wild  faith. 

May  smooth  the  rugged  path  to  death ; 

For,  when  this  pilgrimage  is  made, 

Thy  last  debt  to  thy  sire  is  paid. 

Few  Christians  such  examples  pro  ' 

Of  piety  and  filial  love ; 

Tho'  boasting  as  serener  heart 

Than  thou  —  rude  Heathen,  as   i.iOu   art !  " 

VII. 

He  heeded  not  what  I  was  saying, — 

Adown  the  track  of  memory 
His  spirit  pensively  was  straying; 

And  he  continued,  randomly  — 
"  The  white-men  i^hought  the  red-men  fools,* 

And  took  them  o'er  the  waves ; 
But  great  Manitto  gave  them  souls, 

And  they  can  ne'er  be  slaves ! 
List,  Pale-face  !  —  he  who  lies  below 
The  summer's  heat  and  winter's  snow, 

"Alhuling  to  the  circumstance  of  Indians  being  kidnapped,  taken 
to  the  West  Indies  and  sold  as  skives;  but  who  preferred  death,  rather 
tlian   captivity   and  hibor. 


Indians.  61 


Beneath  this  cold  and  silent  clod. 
Once  in  the  front  of  hattle  trod, 

Chief  of  a  thousand  men ! 
Wise  at  the  council-fire  —  tho'  young, 
And  mild  in  peace  —  in  hattle,  strong 
As  cougar  in  his  den ! 
The  youthful  maidens  loved  him  well; 
The  wizard  prophets  hurst  the  spell. 

To  pay  him  homage  due : 
The  young  men  of  his  trihe  would  try 
To  emulate  his  hravery. 

In  deeds  of  daring,  too. 
Yes :  such  was  Maintonomah,  when 
The  Yengese*  and  the  Dutchment 

Were  swarming  to  this  soil. 
Where  first  the  rising  sun  we  view. 
Beyond  those  mountains  far  and  hlue, 
There  doth  a  limpid  river  flow, 
Near  which  they  laid  the  forests  low, 

And  did,  like  l:)eavers,  toil. 

VIII. 

A  powerful  trihe  dwelt  in  that  land ; 
A  mighty  chieftain  held  command 
Of  warriors,  numerous  as  the  sand 
Upon  the  Salt  Lakes'  endless  strand. 

He  saw  his  hunting-grounds  destroy'd; 
He  felt  his  native  rights  annoy'd ; 
He  knew  that  his  young  men  were  slain 

By  those  intruders  from  afar; 
He  knew  his  squaws  were  captives  ta'en, 

And  he  resolved  on  war !  " 

IX. 

Here  Teton  paused,  and  looked  around 
Upon  the  woods  and  on  the  ground : 
Gazed  long  and  silent  at  the  moon, 
Which  full  upon  his  visage  shone. 
'Twas  then  I  mark'd,  with  some  surprise, 
The  calm  expression  of  his  eves, 
Which  had  so  late  flashed  livid  fire. 
Like  angry  serpent's,  in  his  ire ! 

*  Englishmen. 
t  Ihitehmen. 


62  History  of  Marlborough. 

His  head  was  bare,  his  snowy  liair 

Hung  in  a  scalp-lockt  from  its  crown; 
And,  standing-  in  the  moonlight  there, 
His  dignified  and  solemn  air 
In  all  its  native  grandeur  shone ! 
His  bow  was  o'er  his  shoulder  thrown, 

His  wampum  was  around  him  tied, 
A  blanket  hid  his  swarthy  zone. 

And  a  long  knife  hung  at  his  side. 
Still  as  the  rocks  around,  he  stood, 

Dee])-nnising  on  untold  events ; 
When,  sudden  as  the  foaming  flood 

Pours  o'er  its  broken  battlements ! 
He  turn'd  to  me,  and  said  — -  "  Pale-face  ! 
You  grasp  at  more  than  you  can  hold : 
You  own  the  land,  I  have  been  told. 

Beyond  the  Great  Salt  Lake : 
But  the  Great-Spirit  of  your  tribe 
Made  your  hearts  big,  and  they  imliibe 

The  venom  of  a  snake ! 

X. 

"  Hast  thou  e'er  seen  the  sun  arise? 
Didst  trace  his  course  along  the  skies. 

And  seen  him  set  at  even? 
Know,  all  the  land  he  travel'd  o'er 
Between  the  east  and  western  shore, 
From  where  Atlantic's  thunders  roar. 
To  where  Pacific's  billows  pour, 
Was  to  the  red-men  given. 
Our  hunting-grounds  were  fill'd  with  game, 

Our  lakes  with  fishes,  too, 
Until  the  curs'd  strangers  came 

Here,  in  the  Big-canoe. 
Then  were  the  lofty  forests  fell'd ! 
Then  were  the  timid  deer  compell'd 
To  seek  a   shelter,  where  ne'er  dwell'd 

A  single  deer  before ; 
Where  nothing,  save  the  wolf's  long  howl. 
The  serpent's  hiss  and  cougar's  growl, 

Was  heard   in  days  of  yore ! 

±  The  Indian  warrior  shaves  liis  head,  except  tlie  crown,  from  which 
depends  the  scalp-lock. 


Indians.  63 

XI. 

"  Manitto  made  the  world,  'tis  said ; 
Gave  his  red  chiklren  corn  for  bread, 
Tokl  them  to  hunt  the  woods  for  deer, 
The  hikes  for  tish  —  and  phiced  them  here. 
Why  sliouhl  I  tell  of  what  befell 

My  father  and  his  men? 
Why  on  the  sul)ject  longer  dwell. 

Or  speak  his  name  again? 
For  why  ?  —  because  I  deem  it  right 
To  throw  a   sunset-gleam  of  light 

Upon  our  history: 
I  am  the  last  of  all  my  race: 
There  lives  no  being  who  can  trace 

A  kindred  drop  in  me ! 
And  hence  the  story  of  my  grief. 
Of  Maintonomah  —  mighty  chief, 

Depends  alone  on  me : 
And  for  mv  spirit's  own  relief, 

Pale-face!  I  tell  it  thee." 

Part  Second. 
I. 
'Twas  summer  eve;  the  paly  moon 
Upon  the  placid  river  shone. 
And  silence  reign'd,  save  where  the  rill 
Was  murmuring  adown  the  hill, 
Or  where  the  wakeful  whij)-poor-will 
Pour'd  its  loud  note,  so  wildly  shrill. 
Xo  boys  were  soon  upon  the  lawn. 

Nor  warriors   smoking  on  the  green; 
All  to  their  wigwams  had  withdrawn. 

And  stillness  l)rooded  o'er  the  scene. 
I   laid  me  down,  l)ut  could  not  sleej^ ; 

I   felt  a  strange,  foreboding  dread ; 
My  father  lay  in  slumber  deep  — 

I  had  no  mother  —  she  was  dead. 
How  solemn  was  that  midnight  hour, 
When  restless  fancy's  magic  power 

Was  busy  in  my  mind ! 
I  started  at  each  trifling  sound, 
I  gazed  along  the  moon-lit  ground. 

And  listen'd  to  the  wind. 
As  thus  T  lay.  T  something  h(nird. 
At  which  my  life-blood   (piicker  stirr'd. 


64  History  of  Marlborough. 

II. 

Was  it  the  sighing  of  the  In-eeze 

Among  the  tall,  green,  forest  trees? 
Was  it  the  panther's  plaintive  or}', 
Eeverberating  awfulty  ? 
Was  it  the  gaunt  wolf's  moiimfnl  howl? 
Or  idle  screeching  of   the  owl? 
Was  it  the  barking  of  the  fox. 
Far  from  his  cavern'd  den  of  rocks? 
Xo : —  it  was  not.     A  human  voice, 
Alone,  alarmed  me  with  its  noise! 

III. 

Upon  a  little  ])oint  of  land. 

Projecting  from  the  narrow  strand. 

Three  human  forms  I  now  espied. 

And  all  their  movements  closely  eyed. 

One  stood   apai't  —  the  other  two 

Drew  on  the  shore  a  light  canoe. 

That  done,  they  cross'd  yon  purling  rill, 

Walked   slowly  uj)  the  stee]iy  hill. 

And  sought  our  caau])  —  wliere  all  was  still. 

IV. 

I  press'd  my  father's  hand ;  he  rose  — 
"Does  Teton  scent  approaching  foes?" 
"  My  father's  ears  are  very  good, 
Can  they  hear  nothing  in  the  wood?" 
"  Hugh !  "  he  exclaim'd,  and  gave  a  sign, 
And  many  a  warrior  in  his  line 

Eose,  at  the  well-known  sound: 
They  gathered  near  our  wigwam  low, 
Each  with  his  tomahawk  and  l)Ow, 

And  circled  him  around. 

V. 

The   strangers  halted  on   the   plain. 
Threw  up  their  hands  —  approach'd   again, 

With  forms  erect,  and  slow; 
INIy  father  stepp'd  before  his  men, 
Eeturn'd  the  sign  of  peace  —  and  then 

Each  party  bended  low. 


iNDIA^fb.  65 


The  one  who  seem'd  to  he  their  chief 
Came  forward,  and  in  language  hrief, 

Explained  their  visit  thus  — 
"  We  come  as  friends,  with  naked  hands, 
Into  our  happy  neighbor's  lands; 

Expect  no  harm  from  us: 
We  wish  to  taste  your  bread  and  meat, 
To  talk  around  your  council-seat, 

And  hear  what  may  be  good : 
For  this  we  left  our  squaws  alone, 
Pursued  our.  course  thro'  ways  unknown. 

O'er  mountains  wild  and  rude." 
"  Then  are  you  welcome  —  and  may  eat 
With  us  our  succotash  and  meat. 

As  brothers,  and  as  friends: 
The  good  Manitto  to  us  gave 
Enough,  and  it  is  all  we  crave, 

For  ill  too  much  attends." 

VI. 

The  crowd  dispersed ;  the  council-fire 
Was  lighted,  and  its  flaming  spire 

Shot  upward  to  the  sky: 
How  beautiful ! —  its  ruddy  glare 
Waved  purple  on  the  midnight  air, 

And  soar'd  triumphantly ! 
Oh !  nothing  could  excel  the  sight : — 
I  gazed  upon  it  with  delight. 

It  swell'd  my  bosom  high : 
My  every  fear  had  vanish'd  then; 
I  join'd  a  lounging  group  of  men, 

And  talk'd  exultingly. 

TIL 

My  father  held  much  talk  the  while. 
At  distance  from  the  blazing  pile. 

Beneath  the  forest  shade, 
With  the  strange  chief  —  who  seem'd  to  be 
Entreating  him  most  earnestly. 

From  gestures  that  he  made. 
3 


66  HisTOEY  OF  Marlborough. 


At  length  they  ended  the  debate, 

Came  forward,  where  the  warriors  sate 

Upon  the  green-clad  ground : 

I  mark'd  their  forms,  their  l)earing,  too, 

And  to  a  just,  impartial  view, 

I  thought  that  very,  very  few 

Such  beings  could  be  found  ! 
Magnolias  grow  both  smooth  and  straight. 

And  angry  cougars,  have  bright  eyes ; 
Magnolias  grow  to  a  great  height. 

And  wave  their  branches  in  the-  skies. 
But  scarce  less  tall,  those  chieftains  seem'd 

Than  those  fair  sachems  *  of  the  wood ; 
And  not  less  bright  their  dark  eyes  gleam'd 

Than  cougars  in  a  wrathful  mood  ! 

YIII. 

My  father  motioned  with  his  hand : — 
Each  gallant  warrior  of  his  band 
Eose,  at  the  dumb  show  of  command, 

And  follow'd  to  the  fire. 
A  pile  of  bushes  form'd  his  seat, 
Distilling  odors  mild  and  sweet, 

Which  mingled  with  the   air: 
The  stranger  chief  sat  by  his  side, 
And  much  of  dignity  and  pride 

Shone  in  his  haughty  stare ! 
The  men  were  in  a  circle  drawn. 
And  seated  on  the  open  lawn ; 
Their  pipes  were  lighted,   and   the  smoke 
Into  fantastic  edies  broke, 
^^^lich  form'd  an  artificial  cloud, 
And  wrajipM  them  in  a  mazy  shroud. 

IX. 

The  fumes  of  smoke  had  pass'd  away. 

The  moon  moved  down  the  western  sky; 

Anon,  her  In-ight,  unclouded  ray 
Broke  thro'  the  tree-tops  silently. 

*  The   magnolia  may  well  be  called  the  "Sachem"  of  the  wood;    its 
trunk  is  not  unfrequently  a  hundred  feet  high,  and  perfectly  straight. 


Indians.  67 

Hark !  did  I  liear  my  father  speak 

In  a  forbidding  tone? 
Or  does  it  thro'  the  greenwood  break, 

The  west  wind's  hollow  moan? 
Or,  hark  again !   ay,  now  I  hear 

Great  Maintonomah's  voice ! 
'Tis  very  loud  —  it  strikes  mine  ear 

Like  Niagara's  noise ! 
"  Teton,"  it  says,  "  tell  not  a  word 

Of  what  I  spoke  that  fatal  night; 
The  faithless  Pale-face  will  record 

Each  sentence  uttered,  with  delight. 
Enough  it  is  for  him  to  learn 

What  mighty  Metamora  said. 
When  bright  our  council-fire  did  burn, 

And  waved  in  air  its  lurid  head." 

X. 

Thus  spake  the  voice ;  didst  thou  not  hear  ? 
Xay,  thou  could'st  not!  'twas  for  my  ear, 

And  for  my  ear  alone; 
Though  it  had  made  the  mountains  quake, 
The  earth  unto  its  centre  shake. 

Still  it  were  all  my  own ; 
Therefore,  be  silent,  question  not 

Whatever  I   may  say; 
His  warning  cannot  be  forgot. 

And  him  I  must  obey. 

XL 

What  Maintonomah  told  his  men 

Will  never  more  be  heard  again  ! 

And  soon  will  dark  oblivion 

Close  o'er  the  relics  of  his  son ! 

But  what  the  Wampanoag  said 

Must  be  rehearsed  ere  I  am  dead ; 

But  only  to  elucidate 

The  incidents  I  shall  relate. 

King  Philip  rose,   (the  white  men  gave 

Such  name   to  Metamora  brave). 

Looked  o'er  the  mute,  attentive  crowd. 

And  spoke  in  accents  deeply  loud  — ■ 


68  History  of  Marlboeough. 


"Brothers  ye  are  both  brave  and  just; 

To  some  Manitto  gave  a  trust : 

The  land  between  two  rivers  wide. 

He  gave  the  ehiklren  of  his  pride ; 

Tokl  tliem  to  guard,  with  jeahjus  care, 

From  Hudson  to  the  Delaware. 

Tradition  tells  how  long  they've  held 

The  soil  on  which  their  fathers  dwelled ; 

They've  kept  their  trust  —  they've  kept  their  faith 

They  hate  their  foes,  and  fear  not  death  ! 

Do  any  know  this  tribe  so  trne? 

My  brothers — Mohawks!  it  is  you! 

But  the  Great  Spirit's  face  is  hid 

Beliind  a  cloud !  did  it  not  l)id 

His  children  guard  their  hunting-grounds? 

And  have  they  never  heard  strange  sounds? 

Have  they  never  seen  strange  footprints  near? 

Have  they  not  missed  the  moose  and  dear? 

Have  they  not  seen  the  Ijig-canoe,* 

rire-water,t  and  Pale-faces,  too? 

Yes  —  they  have  seen  all  these,  and  more! 

They're  heard  the  white-men's  thunder  roar! 

They've  seen  their  hunting-grounds  laid  low, 

And  that  by  a  deceitful  foe  I 

And  were  they  made  to  hoe  the  corn? 

No !  their  free  souls  such  labor  scorn ! 

Listen,  brothers  !  hear  me  through  ; 

Ye  are  men  and  warriors,  too ! 

Those  strangers,  white  as  winter's  snow. 

Claim  all  the  land,  where'er  they  go ! 

They  say  their  Christian  God  hath  given 

Unto  them  all  things  under  heaven ! 

They  call  the  Indians  poor,  and  kill 

Their  game,  to  make  them  poorer  still! 

And  shall  we  crouch,  like  dogs,  l)efore 

The  Pale-face  tribe?  our  sires  of  yore 

Would  frown  upon  us  evermore ! 

They've  slain  my  friends  —  my  l)rothers'  friends  -^ 

For  which  they  cannot  make  amends ; 

Their  restless  ghosts  for  vengeance  sigh. 

And  lon<?  to  hear  our  battle-crv ! 


Ship.  t^piiitnous    liquors. 


Indians.  69 

They  went  alone  —  with  naked  hands  — 
Into  the  happy  Spirit-lands ; 
And  shall  this  l)e  ?  no  —  it  must  not  — 
Their  wrongs  must  never  be  forgot; 
A  curse  would  rest  upon  our  head. 
And  we  should  fear  to  meet  the  dead ! 
Are  not  my  brothers  of  my  mind? 
Do  they  not,  sometimes,  feel  inclined 
To  strike  the  foe  ?  now  is  the  time ! 
Exterminate  them  from  our  clime ! 
Slay  every  Pale-face  on  our  soil, 
And  feast  forever  on  the  spoil  I 
They've  driven  me  from  hill  to  fen, 
From  valley  to  the  mountain  glen ; 
Yet  still  I  have  a  willing  band, 
Who  only  wait  for  my  command 
To   tomahawk   our   common   foe, 
And  wrap  their  wigwams  in  a  glow ! 
Believe  me,  brothers,  they  will  come. 
Ere  long,  and  claim  your  happy  home; 
]f  not  arrested  in  their  course, 
Or  banished  from  our  land,  per  force ! 
Hence,  brothers,  I  believe  it  right 
For  all  in  common  to  unite, 
And  swear  by  every  restless  ghost 
That  wanders  unavenged  and  lost  — 
By  every  hope  and  feeling  high 
Engendered  by  nativity  • — 
To  free  the  land  our  fathers  gave. 
Or  make  that  land  a  common  grave !  " 

XII. 

When  he  had  ceased,  a  startling  veil 

Re-echo'd  through  the  wood  and  clell; 

"  Revenge  and  death !  "  each  warrior  cried, 

And  grasped  the  hatchet  by  his  side ; 

For  Philip's  speech  had   woke  their  ire. 

As  fuel  added  to  a  fire; 

They  jump'd,  and  whoop'd,  and  beat  the  air, 

Like  wounded  bisons  in  despair. 

And  shouted  up  and  down  the  plain, 

'Till  Maintonomah  spoke  again. 

He  spoke  —  and  every  man  was  still 

As  morning's  mist  upon  a  hill ; 


70  History  of  Marlborough. 

He  spoke  —  Init  I  may  not  unfold 
A  single  word  of  what  he  told  I 
You  know  my  reason  —  ask  not  why 
The  moon  appears  in  yonder  sky. 

XIII. 

They  held  a  consultation  brief, 

And  seem'd  united  in  belief. 

Then  Maintonomah  step'd  unto 

A  pine,*  that  in  the  clearing  grew. 

And  struck  his  tomahawk  therein ; 

The  hills  returned  the  sullen  din. 

This  was  a  hostile  signal,  given 

Before  the  face  of  man  and  heaven, 

To  prove  the  truce  no  longer  good, 

Wliich  had  been  stain'd  with  Indian  blood. 

The  men  now  follow'd  to  the  tree, 

And  wounded  it  successively; 

Tore  off  the  bairk  Avith  mimic  rage, 

And  sorely  main'd  that  tree  of  age ! 

At  length  they  ceased,  and  then  returned 

Near  where  the  dying  beacon  burn'd. 

Drew  in  a  line  around  their  chief, 

AVho  wish'd  from  further  works  relief. 

Until  the  moTuing  sun  should  rise 

And  re-illume  the  azure  skies. 

Part  Thikd. 

I. 

The  birds  begin  to  carol  loud. 

And  Xight  withdraws  her  sable  shroud; 

The  golden  sun  appears  in  view, 

Beyond  the  hills  of  sombre  hue; 

The  Hudson  glitters  to  the  sheen, 

The  woods  are  dress'd  in  burnish'd  green. 

The  dew-drops  sparkle  on  the  lawn. 

Ad  add  their  lustre  to  the  morn  — 

All  nature,  clad  in  vesture  gay, 

Seems  welcoming  the  new-])orn  day. 

*  After  resolving  war,  the  Indian  usually  select  some  convenient 
tree  as  a  symbol  of  their  enemy;  against  which  they  direct  their  mimic 
vengeance. 


lNDIA]SrS.  71 

II. 

What  sounds  are  those,  now  swelling  high, 

N"ow  low'ring  into  melody? 

Ah,  me! — they  speak  a  mournful  tone, 

Like  requiem  for  spirits  gone : 

They  bid  the  native  warrior  rise. 

And  seek  a  warrior's  destinies: 

They  are  the  conch-notes,  sounding  far 

The  larum  of  approaching  war! 

III. 

When  the  first  signal-blast  was  heard, 
Each  inmate  at  his  door  appear'd; 
And  when  the  last  sound  died  away. 
Like  some  mysterious  roundelay. 
The  busy  squaws  might  then  be  seen, 
The  sportive  boys  u])on  the  green, 
The  warriors  stalking  here  and  there, 
Apparently  devoid  of  care, 
Until,  by  mutal  assent, 
They  circled  Maintonomah's  tent. 

IV. 

With  Metamora  and  bis  men. 

My  father  was  conversing  then : — 
"  And  has  my  brother  seen,"  asked  he, 
"  The  great  white  chief*  beyond  the  sea  ?" 
"  We  feel  the  wind,  but  cannot  see 

The  cause  of  its  velocity." 
"  'Tis  well ;  and  does  my  brother  know 

The  strength  and  number  of  his  foe?" 
"  The  leaves  are  num'rous  on  the  trees, 

But  they  are  scattered  by  the  breeze; 

The  Yengese  number  like  the  sand. 

Still  we  may  drive  them  from  our  land. 

If  we  but  work  unitedly, 

From  civil  liroils  and  factions  free." 
"  Enough  : —  the  beaver  is  full  wise, 

Tbe  wild-cat  utters  treach'rous  cries. 

The  cunning  fox  is  often  ta'en, 

The  bear  and  bison  may  be  slain. 

The  white-men  strike  the  red-men  well, 

Si  ill  they  are  no  invincible!" 

*  KiiiL;'  ot    Engliviid. 


^z 


History  of  Marlborough. 


He  still  was  speaking,  when  a  shout 
Proclaim'd  some  incident  without : 
Those  who  had  placed  themselves  hefore 
The  humhle  wigwams's  open  door, 
Now  parted,  to  make  way  for  one 
Whose  ea-rthly  race  was  nearly  run. 
All  riveted  an  eager  gaze 
Upon  the  sage  of  many  days ; 
And  each  appear'd,  at  least  to  me, 
To  watch  his  movements  anxiously; 
Because  he  was,  till  then,  unknown,    ■ 
Of  latter  years  to  walk  alone ; 
Especially  hefore  the  sun 
Had  drunk  the  dew  and  dried  the  lawn. 
He  sat  by  Maintonomah's  side, 
And  Matamora  keenly  eyed. 
That  haughty  chieftain  well  could  l)rook 
Our  aged  prophet's  eagle  look : 
He  did  not  quail  l)eneath  his  eye, 
Though  keen  and  long  the  scrunity; 
And  not  a  muscle  could  you  trace 
Distorted  in  his  manly  face; 
But,  like  a  noble  Sagamore, 
The  close  examination  bore. 

VI. 

I  never  shall  forget  the  hour, 

'  Till  to  the  land  of  shadows  borne, 
When  Wessatona's  magic  power 

Foretold  my  father's  doom  that  morn; 
For  he  was  gifted  to  behold, 

Thro'  thy  dark  shades.  Futurity! 
Life's  awful  waste;  and  to  unfold 

The  hidden  things  of  destiny. 
"And  go,"  he  said,  "  tho'  I  have  dream'd 

That  thou  shalt  fall  in  battle  brave; 
A  Sachem's  word  should  be  redeem'd, 

Tho'  it  were  purchased  by  his  grave! 
Go,  then,  pride  of  thy  people !  where 

The  boon  of  glory  may  be  found; 
Be  honor  still  thy  leading  star; 

And  let  thy  warwhoop  loudest  sound. 


Indians. 

I've  marked  our  brother  —  fear  him  not  — 

Xo  treason  harbours  in  his  breast: 
First  of  his  nation  —  he  has  fought 

The  l)iravest  and  the  l)est! 
Farewell,  my  son  !  —  ^Fanitto  calls ; 

Thy  father  beckons  thee  to  come: 
Haste  to  the  field  where  manhood  falls, 

And  seek  a  long  —  a  happy  home." 

VII. 

He  ceased ;  an  awful  pause  ensued 

The  dread  disclosure  made; 
Each  seeniM  unwilling  to  intrude. 

And  solemn  silence  sway'd. 
The  prophet  left  our  wigwam  drear, 

And  sought  his  own  again: 
Methought  I  saw  the  briny  tear 

Bedew  his  visage  then. 
The  men  withdrew  to  eat  their  meat, 

And  bid  their  squaws  adieu : 
My  sire  resum'd  his  lowly  seat, 

And  took  refreshments  too. 
He  bade  the  strangers  share  his  cheer; 

Consisting  of  a  haunch  of  deer, 
A  gourd  of  water,  and  some  fish 
Placed  in  an  oval  wooden  dish, 
A  bown  of  succotash  and  bread ; 
On  such  repast  stern  warriors  fed. 

VIII. 

Behold  a  warlike  band,  array'd 

In  Indian  pomp  —  in  Indian  show  ! 
See  o'er  their  heads  a  flag  displav'd, 

Type  of  defiance  to  the  foe! 
Their  gaudy  plumes  of  feathers  gay 

Wave  in  the  southern,  summer  gale; 
Their  polished  arms  reflect  the  day, 

Like  sparkling  diamonds,  bright  and  pale. 
Their   valiant   chef  —  my  noble   sire  — 

By  Areouski  *  doom'd  to  die. 
Feels  in  his  breast  the  martial  fire. 

And  glories  in  his  destiny ! 


Indian   God   of  War. 


74  History  of  Marlborough. 

Now  all  are  ranged  upon  tlie  plain, 
Between  the  village  and  tlie  sun ; 
0,  hearken  to  the  rising  strain ! 
Their  valiant  chief  —  my  noble  sire  — 

SONCx. 
Manitto!     lend    thine    ear 

To   thy   childi-en   weak; 
Manitto!    deign    to    hear 

Wliat   they'  speak. 

Thou    art    strong — thoii    art    just  — 
Tlioii    art   swift — ^  we   are   slow; 

In   thee   we   phice   our   trust, 
Help  us  strike  the  foe! 

Manitto!  hear  our  cries, 
We  crave   thy   mighty  aid ; 

Manitto!  thou  art  wi-e. 
And  knowest  what  is   said. 

Three  several  times  I  plainl}-  heard 
Each  simple  line,  and  simple  word ; 
Deep,  slow,  and  soft  their  accents  fell. 
And  died  in  distance  thro'  the  dell. 
However  harsh  to  a  white  ear 
Their  artless  cadence  niiglit  appear; 
Howe'er  uncouth  their  attitude. 
Unpolished  verse,  and  gestures  rude; 
Yet,  to  an  Indian,  like  me, 
'Twas  like  some  passing  melody, 
ATid  every  action,  word  and  tone 
Blent  in  harmonious  unison ! 

X. 

Ere  yet  the  destin'd  marcli  l^egan. 

The  war-pipe  pass'd  from  man  to  man; 

Its  stem  was  of  a  crimson  hue, 

Its  bowl  was  of  the  brightest  blue, 

"Wrought  from   stone*    of  hardest  mould, 

By  Christian  hunters  bought  and  sold. 

That  done,  they  pass'd  with  noiseless  tread 

Unto  the  Hudson's  lowly  bed, 

AVhere  fifty  light  canoes  were  seen, 

All  dancing  on  the  waters  sheen. 

The  southern  breeze  swept  o'er  the  flood. 

And  sigh'd  along  the  leafy  wood ; 

•■'  Flint. 


Indians.  75 

And  fresher  still  the  breezlet  blew, 

And  higher  still  the  billows  grew, 

Until  they  laved  the  sandy  shore. 

With  dashing  foam  and  hollow  roar. 

Xow  o'er  the  tronbled  deep  they  glide, 

Like  bounding  l)isons,  side  by  side ; 

See !  —  they  have  gained  the  eastern  strand, 

And  draw  their  canoes  to  the  land: 

Another  look  —  and  naught  is  seen, 

Save  l)arren  rocks  and  cedars  areen. 


XI. 

Twelve  suns  had  rolTd  from  east  to  west, 
As  many  moons  had  sunk  to  rest ; 
Twelve  times  the  stars  appeared  in  view. 
Diffusing  feeble  lustre  too, — 
Since  Maintonomah  and  his  band 
Sought  Metamora's  troubled  land. 
There  is  a  feeling  of  the  heart. 
Pure  as  the  balmy  breath  of  morning. 
When  Xight's  unfathoniM  shades  depart, 
And  oriental  beams  are  dawning: 
It  is  that  love  which  parents  bear 
For  the  dear  objects  of  their  care; 
It  is  that  love  which  children  learn 
To  feel  for  parents  in  return. 
And  such  the  passion  that  I  felt, 
AVhen  in  the  lonely  tent  I  knelt. 
And  pray'd  ]\Ianitto  to  restore 
]\Iy  father  to  his  tribe  once  more. 
But  what  avail-  our  earnest  cries. 
When  He,  who  rules  in  yonder  skies. 
Hath  need  of  those  we  would  detain, 
And  calls  them  to  himself  again? 

XII. 

The  morning  dawnM  without  a  cloud; 

The  larks  ascended  in  the  air; 
The  men  assembled  in  a  crowd, 

But  then,  alas !  few  men  were  there. 


76  History  of  Marlborough. 


The  boys  resimi'd  their  daily  phiys, 

The  mimic  of  the  chase  and  fight, 
And  acted  them  in  many  ways, 

With  Youth  and  Childhood's  gay  delight. 
Oh,  Youth !  oh,  Childhood  !  —  what  are  ye, 

That  smile  so  sweetly  for  a  time? 
Blest  beacons  on  Life's  stormy  sea. 

Between  its  dawning  and  its  prime! 
Bright  as  the  golden  sun,  ye  seem; 

Fair  as  tlie  moon,  when  riding  high; 
But  transient  as  the  dazzling  gleam 

That  shoots  athwart  a  troubled  sky ! 

XIII. 

E'en  now,  methinks,  I  hear  the  yell. 
Which  thundered  thro'  this  very  dell. 

Full  sixty  years  ago: — 
Again  it  Tose,  in  awful  strain. 
The  notes  of  pleasure  and  of  pain, 

And  died  in  echo's  low. 
Lo !  near  the  river's  eastern  side. 
Afloat  upon  the  limpid  tide, 

Our  absent  friends  appear ! 
How  swiftly  o'er  the  waves  they  come  I 
They  seek  a  peaceful,  happy  home. 

Eemote  from  war's  career. 
Jov!  joy! — but  transient  joy  is  found 

Within  this  world  of  cares: 
As  thorns  'mid  fairest  flowers  abound. 

Life  is  beset  with  snares ! 
We  joy'd  to  see  them  near  the  land. 

But  soon  that  joy  was  turn'd  to  pain. 
Where  was  the  leader  of  the  band  ? 

He  ne'er  shall  see  his  tribe  again! 
Wrapt  in  the  arms  of  death,  he  lies. 

And  cold  as  Alleghania's  snow : 
Alas !  no  more  his  eagle  eyes 

Shall  light  his  warriors  to  the  foe! 

XIY. 

Oh !  listen  to  those  piercing  tones  — 
They  fill  my  heart  with  dread ; 

They  are  the  weeping  widows'  moans, 
Bewailino-  husl)ands  dead ! 


Indians,  77 

And  mingled  with  their  grief,  arise 
The  hapless  orphans'  plaintive  cries: 
These  grieve  for  those  who  never  more 
Shall  smile  npon  them  as  before ; 
And  those  for  those  endeared  by  ties 
Of  hynenean  paradise. 

XV. 

Long  ere  the  mourners  ceased  to  weep, 
Fonr  warriors  climb'd  the  rocky  steep; 
They  bore  a  litter,  form'd  of  wood, 
Of  hastv  workmanship  and  rude; 
'Twas  lined  with  barks  and  blankets  too. 
Thus  rendered  easy  to  the  view. 
They  gain'd  the  plain,  and  pass'd  along. 
With  solemn  tread,  amid  the  throng. 
All  eyes  were  fixed  on  them  alone. 
To  none  their  burden  was  unknown. 
For,  on  the  litter  which  they  bore, 
Lay  Maintonomah  —  chief  no  more ! 

XVI. 

X"ear  yonder  grove  of  stately  trees, 
Now  waving  in  the  evening  breeze. 
Upon  a  seat  they  placed  my  sire, 
And  dress'd  him  in  a  gay  attire : 
His  tomahawk,  bright  as  the  sun! 
His  wampum,  with  its  trinkets  on; 
His  blanket,  decked  with  beads  and  gold. 
Which  dangled  from  each  graceful  fold ; 
His  knife  was  pendant  from  his  waist. 
With  eagle  plumes  his  head  was  graced. 
His  bow  was  o'er  his  shoulder  slung, 
And  arrows  in  his  quiver  hung. 

XYII. 

The  minor  chieftains  gathered  round. 

The  young  men  and  the  squaws  appeared ; 
All  stood  in  silence  deep,  profoimd. 

And  gazed  on  him  they  loved,  revered. 
Yes  —  all  were  there,  save  those  who  fell, 

As  fell  their  leader,  in  the  fight, 
But  thev  had  gone  where  warriors  dwell 

With  purer,  unalloy'd  delight. 


78  HisTOKY  OF  Marlborough. 

Immediately  l)efore  him  stood 

Old  Wessatona,  wise  and  good. 

His  arms  were  folded  on  his  breast. 

His  head  was  sunk  upon  his  ehest, 

His  eyes  were  closed,  and  from  them  stole 

The  tender  anguish  of  his  soul. 

Long  had  the  awful  quiet  reign'd, 

Where  all  was  felt  and  nothing  feign'd ; 

And  long  had  every  one  bestow'd 

The  mournful  tribute,  justly  owed; 

Before  the  sage  appeared  to  note 

His  being  on  the  fatal  spot. 

At  first  his  legs  began  to  move 

As  if  imploring  heaven's  love ; 

Fitful  and  indistinct  their  sound. 

Scarce  heard  by  those  who  wept  around. 

A  hundred  summers  he  had  seen, 

Attired  in  rol^es  of  vernal  green ; 

A  hundred  winters  he  had  known 

Howl  on  the  train  of  winters  gone; 

And  many  tokens  had  they  cast 

Upon  him,  as  they  hurried  past ; 

The  flowing  scalp-lock  on  his  head 

Eivall'd  the  snow-wreath  which  they  shed ; 

And  bended  form,  and  furrowed  face, 

And  trembling  liml),  and  tottering  pace, 

Were  of  his  lengthened  years,  the  trace. 

Yet,  not  the  weight  of  a  century 

Could  then  repress  his  energy ; 

He  oped  his  eyes,  he  raised  his  head. 

And  thus  address'd  the  silent  dead: 

XYIIT. 

"  Pride  of  the  ]\Iohawks  I  thou  art  gone : 
A  nation  mourns  thee  all  too  soon ! 
Thou  wast  the  foremost  in  the  chase! 
Thou  wast  the  fleetest  in  the  race! 
None  knew  so  well,  as  thou  did'st  know, 
To  hunt  the  moose,  and  strike  the  foe! 
Few  at  the  council-fire  so  voung, 
None  wiser  —  and  but  few  as  strong! 
Why  hast  thy  left  us,  noble  chief? 
Why  was  thy  stay  among  us  brief? 


Indians.  79 

•Manitto  call'd  —  thou  hast  obey'd. 

And  left  us  nothing  but  thy  shade. 

But  thou  didst  not  repair  alone 

To  the  Great  Spirit's  happy  throne; 

A  hundred  Yengese  clear  thy  way! 

A  hundred  scalps  beside  thee  lay! 

What  chief  can  fill  thy  vacant  place 

With  equal  good  and  equal  grace? 

Xone,  eagle  of  thy  tribe !  is  even  — 

The  boon  to  thee  alone  was  given ! 

Thou  hast  discharged  thy  duty  here, 

Without  a  rival  or  compeer: 

Thy  sun  is  set  —  thy  work  is  done  — 

Thy  night  is  come,  and  thou  art  gone ! 

Gone,  with  thy  father's  ghost  to  dwell : 

Pride  of  the  Mohawks !  —  fare  thee  well  ?  " 

XIX. 

Thus  spoke  the  sage; — the  multitude 

Drank  deep  each  solemn  word ; 
They  listend  in  attentive  mood. 

And  reverenced  what  they  heard. 
His  voice  was  hush'd  —  his  eyes  reclosed, 
And  once  again  his  head  reposed 

Upon  his  bosom  bare: 
Two  of  the  braves,  who  stood  near  by, 
Attended  respectfully 

Unto  his  tent  with  care. 

XX. 

And  now  the  mournful  numbers  rise. 

The  corpse  is  placed  upon  a  bier. 
And,  follow'd  by  a  nation's  cries, 

Convey'd,  in  awful  grandeur,  here. 
Yes,  here,  beneath  this  very  clay. 

On  which,  proud  Christian !  thou  didst  tread. 
Doth  mighty  jMantonomah  lay! 

The  noble  and  forgotten  dead. 

Enough : — As  I  liave  said  before. 

My  final  hour  will  shortly  come; 
Go  —  Pale-face !  and  return  no  more-  — 

I'll  weep  upon  my  father's  tomb: 


80  History  of  Marlborough, 

Yes, —  1  will  weep  'till  kindly  death 
Shall  dry  my  tears  with  friendly  hand 

Then  joyfully  resign  my  breath, 
And  meet  him  in  the  Spirit  Land. 


SAMUEL  A.  BARRETT, 
Farmer,   Poet,  Abolition   Orator. 

Samuel  A.  Barrett  was  born  at  Milton  in  1814  and  died  in  1852.  He 
received  his  education  at  the  village  school,  and  attended  one  year  at 
the  Quaker  school  at  Nine  Partners,  Dutchess  county.  At  the  early 
age  of  twenty  he  commenced  to  write  poems,  and  from"  that  time  to  the 
time  of  his  death,  contributed  to  many  literary  periodicals  on  many 
subjects.  Born  a  (Quaker,  he  naturally  imbibed  the  principle  of  opposi- 
tion to  slavery,  and  soon  became  an  advocate  of  the  cause,  entering 
warmly  into  the  discussions  of  the  day.  At  the  request  of  numerous 
abolition  societies,  he  spoke  for  them  at  Boston  and  numerous  cities 
and  towns  in  Massachusetts  and  this  state.  He  was  said  to  be  an 
orator  of  no  mean  ability.  He  assisted  his  father  on  his  farm  at 
Milton,  and  in  his  leisure  moments  composed  poetry,  contributed 
articles  to  various  publications,  and  prepared  his  speeches.  One  day 
he  would  be  working  in  the  harvest,  the  next  addressing  large  and 
enthusiastic  meetings.  He  received  a  sunstroke  while  at  work  in  the 
harvest,  wliich  developed  into  typhoid  fever,  resulting  in  his  death,  at 
the  age  of  thirty-eight.  He  was  a  country  boy  in  a  country  village, 
without  friends  or  influence  to  assist  him  in  his  literary  work;  un- 
known and  unheard  of  except  as  he  worked  his  way  among  men  and 
commanded  respect  by  his  energj'  and  ability. 

He  was  cut  down  in  his  youth  and  in  his  usefulness;  a  life  blotted 
out  that  was  destined,  had  he  lived,  to  have  been  of  great  honor  to 
himself  and  of  great  usefulness  to  his  country. 


The  Early  Settlers. 

The  first  settler  was  Denis  Relje,  sometimes  called 
Old  Denis  and  the  Old  Man.  His  name  appears  in  the 
precinct  of  Highland  tax  roll  as  Denis  Relje  in  the 
years  1714,  1715  and  1718,  In  the  tax  roll  of  1724 
and  1725  it  aj^pears  as  Old  Denis.  The  Kill  or  Creek 
at  Marlborongh  Landing  is  named  after  him. 

In  the  petition  of  Egbert  Schoonmaker,  1697,  appli- 
cation is  made  for  a  grant  of  vacant  land  "  being  on 
both  sides  of  the  Oudtman's  Kill  or  Creek."  Also 
in  the  petition  of  Alexander  Griggs,  he  applied  for  a 
grant  of  land  "  beginning  on  the  sonth  side  of  Old 
Man's   Creek,   and   running  np   the   river  to   a  point 


The  Early  Settlers.  81 

called  Old  Man's  Hook."  Augustine  Graham,  in  his 
petition,  applied  for  land  "  at  ye  Old  Man's  Creek," 
and  in  a  further  petition  land  "lying  at  the  Old- 
Man's  Kill."  The  name  of  Denis  Relje  does  not  ap- 
pear on  the  tax  roll  after  1725,  and  it  is  presumed 
that  he  was  then  dead. 

William  Bond,  his  family  and  slaves,  were  the  next 
settlers  of  whom  we  have  knowledge,  though  there 
were  others  at  the  time  who  lived  on  the  patents  and 
paid  quitrents.  Most  of  the  settlers  came  from  Long 
Island  and  Westchester  county.  They  were  people 
who  were  established  in  those  places,  having  their 
farms  and  property  there.  They  moved  up  to  this 
town,  some  coming  in  sloops  and  others  crossing  in 
scows  from  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  They 
brought  their  families,  wordly  goods,  cattle  and  horses 
with  them.  When  they  arrived  they  were  ready  to 
erect  their  log  or  stone  houses,  and  to  commence  clear- 
ing the  land.  After  the  first  arrivals,  their  friends, 
who  were  already  here,  helped  them  to  put  up  their 
houses  and  clear  some  of  the  land.  A  family  would 
come  from  a  certain  location  or  neighborhood,  and 
soon  some  of  their  relatives  or  friends  would  follow. 
Perhaps  no  community  started  with  better  or  more 
favorable  prospects  than  did  the  first  settlers  of  this 
town.  They  did  not  come  here  almost  destitute  as  a 
large  body  of  foreigners  have  done,  but  in  two  or 
three  days  they  could  change  their  abode  and  start 
life  anew  with  all  their  household  goods,  properties, 
comforts  and  conveniences  that  they  had  enjoyed  in 
their  previous  homes. 

Old  letters,  papers,  and  records  show  this  beyond  a 
doubt.  In  fact  the  same  names  can  be  traced  in  the 
records  and  papers  of  Westchester  and  Long  Island, 
spelled  the  same  as  our  people  then  spelled  their 
names.  These  people  visited  together  and  kept  up 
their  relationship  and  friendship  for  a  generation  or 


History  of  Marlborough. 


more,  and  many  of  our  people  can  trace  their  ances- 
tors back  to  these  places. 

But  few  settlers  drifted  in  until  173(3  or  there- 
abouts, when  settlers  commenced  to  arrive  more  fre- 
quently and  from  that  time  on  the  population  rapidly 
increased.  In  one  year  twenty  or  more  families 
arrived.  In  1782  the  population  was  1,482;  in 
1790  the  enumeration  of  inhal)itants,  including-  Platte- 
kill,  colored  people,  and  slaves,  was  2,241,  Newburgh 
having  only  2,365.  This  population  was  supported 
by  ordinary  fann  crops  on  stony  land,  which  first  had 
to  be  cleared.    There  was  no  fruit  raised  then  to  sell. 

The  families  were  large,  ranging  from  six  to  fifteen 
children.. 

They  were  an  honest,  industrious,  law-abiding  class 
of  people.  No  great  crimes  were  ever  committed; 
churches  and  schools  were  plain  but  sufficient;  a 
chattel  mortgage  was  almost  unknown.  A  person 
never  borrowed  money  except  under  the  necessity  of 
unforseen  circumstances,  and  then  he  paid  it  as  soon 
as  possible;  notes  scarcely  ever  were  taken.  The 
borrower  considered  he  was  under  a  sacred  obliga- 
tion, and  he  often  went  without  necessaries  to  make 
his  payment.  Very  few  judgments  were  entered  in 
those  times,  but  the  execution  went  against  the  body 
and  the  debtor  put  in  jail  if  he  did  not  pay.  The 
peojile  were  very  lenient,  and  there  was  not  much 
oppression.  There  were  very  few  real  estate  mort- 
gages on  record  before  1800.  The  debt  on  the  prop- 
erty must  have  1)een  secured  in  some  other  way. 
Until  the  Constitution  of  1777,  the  choice  of  candi- 
dates at  the  precinct  meetings  was  determined  by 
viva  voce. 

I  find  no  records  of  town  officers  up  to  1763,  but 
find  some  early  tax  rolls,  and  in  those  relating  to  the 
precinct  of  the  Highlands,  to  which  we  then  belonged, 
is  the  following: 


The  Early  Settlers. 


83 


"  The  Freeholders,  Inhabitants,  Eesidents,  and  Sojourners  of 
the  County  of  Ulster,  theire  real  and  personal  estates  a.re  rated 
to  be  assessed  by  the  Assessors  (on  theire  Oath)  chosen  for  the 
same  on  the  20th  day  of  January  1714-15,  and  are  to  pay 
after  the  rate  of  one  penny  half  per  pound  to  discharge  this 
years  payment  of  said  County's  Quota     *     *     * 

Layd  by  an  Act  of  the  P.  Assembly,  Entitled  an  Act  for 
Levying  the  sum  of  Ten  Thousand  pounds,  viz: 

Precinct  of  Hig 


Peter  Magregorie   .... 

Swerver 

AVilliam  Sutherland  .  . 
Michael  Wygant  .... 
Burger  Myndertsen  .  . 

Jacob  Weber 

Peter  LaEoss    

John  Fisher 

Andres  Volck 

George  Lockste 

Pieter  Jansen 

Henry  Eennau 

Wm.  Elsworth's  widow 

Dennis  Eelje 

Alexander  Griggs  .  .  .  . 

Thomas  Harris 

Capt.  Bond 

IVIelgert  the  Joyner .  . . . 
Christian  Hendrick  .  . 
Jacob  Decker,  Jun .  .  .  . 
Cornells  Decker 


Highlands. 

Bated 

Tax 

lb 

s 

d 

30 

3 

9 

5 

0 

Tl-2 

4.5 

5 

71-2 

15 

10 

10 

3 

15 

101-2 

10 

3 

10 

3 

12 

6 

10 

3 

10 

3 

25 

3 

11-2 

5 

0 

71-2 

3 

0 

41-2 

35 

4 

41-2 

5 

0 

71-2 

15 

1 

101-2 

15 

1 

101-2 

3 

0 

41-2 

10 

1 

3 

5 

0 

71-2 

293     1       IC 


71-2 


Of  the  above  Dennis  Relje  (Eelyea),  Alexander 
Griggs,  Thomas  Harris,  Captain  Bond,  Jacob  Decker, 
Jr.,  Cornelius  Decker  and  Pieter  Jansen  paid  taxes 
in  what  is  now  Marlborough  and  Plattekill.  Similar 
returns  for  the  years  1717-18,  1724—25,  exhibit  the 
increase  of  residents  and  freeholders  in  the  x>i'ecinct, 
as  follows: 


84 


History  of  Marlborough. 


Peter  Mae  Gregory 
Wm.    Sutherland 
]VIichael  Wygant 
Jacob  Weber 
John  Fisher 
Andries   Volek 
Henry  Eennau 
Widow    Elsworth 
Denis  Relje 


Wm.   C'liainbers 
John  Lawrence 
His  Ex.  William  Burnett 
Widow   P]lsworth 
Phineas  Mcintosh 
Thos.   Ellis  (on) 
George  Lockstead 
Jeurian  (}uick 
William  Bond 
Burger  ]\rinders 
Thomas  Brainer,  widow 
AVilliam  Ward 
Geo.   AVaggont 
AVm.  Sanders 
Alexander  Mickel 
Doct.  Colden 
Geo.  Elmes 
Tobias  Wygant 
Valentyne  Breasure 
John  Humphrey 
David   Sutherland 
John  Davids 


1717-18 

Wm.  Bond 

Alexander  Griggs 

Melgert  de  Schrynwerker 

Col.   Mathews 

Mr.  Gomez 

Burger  Myndertsen 

A.  Graham 

Mr.   Chambers 

Peter   Jansen's   estate 

1734-25 

John    Wilson 
Old  Denes 
AVilliam  Fountain 
Gomez  the  Jew 
Christopher  Fel)b 
John  Askell 
John  Armtyne 
Thomas  Edwards 
Z.  Hotfman 
Michael  Bolls 
Henry  AVileman 
Daniel  Denes 
John  Slater 
John  Filips 
Eobt.  Kirkland 
John   Alsop 
Peter  Long- 
Peter  Mulliner 
Melcher  Gillis 
Henry  Hedsel 
Benj.    Elsworth 
Xathaniel  Foster 


Wm.  Chambers 
Phineas   Mcintosh 
Thomas  Ellison 
James  Elsworth 
Jurie   Quick 
Wm.   Bond 
Gomaz  the  Jew 
Burger  ]\Ievnderse,  Jr. 


1726-29 

Moses  Elsworth 

John  Haskell 

John  Alsop,  Esq. 

AAalliam  Ward 

John  Vantine 

Geo.    Wagagont    (AA^eigand) 

John  David 

Milo-ert  Gillis 


The  Early  Settlers.  85 

1726-29 

Geo.  Speedwell  Win.   Saunders 

Benj.  Elswortli  Alex.  Maekie 

Xathl.   Foster  Cad.  Golden 

Francis  Harrison  John   Slaughter 

J.  Maekneel,  Jr.  George 

James  Ganiwell  Tohias  Wagagont 

Stephen  Bedford  Robert  Strickland 

Thomas  Shaw  John  Umphrey 

Joseph  Gale  Peter  Long 

Henry  David  Sutherland 

John  ]\Iond  Peter  Muliner 

Burger  Meynderse  Chrittian  Chevis 

In  lists  appear  the  names  of  "  Denis  Relje  "  and 
*'  Old  Denes  "  both  the  same  man;  also  ""  Mr. 
Gomez  ' '  and  ' '  Gomez  the  Jew,  both  the  same  person ; 
also  appear  "  Jeurian  Quick  "  and  "  Jurie  Quick," 
both  the  same.  These  men  and  Wm.  Bond,  Alexander 
Griggs,  A.  Graham  and  Pieter  Jansen  resided  at  New 
Marlborough,  and  proliably  some  of  the  others.  Z. 
Hoffman  paid  taxes  on  lands  here.  From  this  list  it 
will  be  seen  who  the  taxpayers  were. 

Capt.  William  Bond  was  the  first  settler  of  that 
part  of  the  town  known  as  Milton,  of  whom  there  is 
any  authentic  record.  He  appears  on  the  tax  roll  of 
1714—15  as  Captain  Bond,  and  on  the  succeeding  tax 
rolls.  Captain  Bond  had  a  daughter,  Sukie  (Sus- 
annah), who  resided  with  him  in  a  house  which  he 
built  east  of  the  old  Hicksie  meeting  house.  He  made 
his  home  there  with  his  daughter  most  of  the  time, 
except  when  he  was  absent  as  Deputy  Surveyor  of  the 
State.  They  had  several  slaves,  and  there  has  ever 
since  been  a  tradition  here,  that  Bond,  his  daughter, 
and  slaves  were  buried  on  the  strip  of  land  east  of 
the  Oliver  C.  Hull  house,  and  east  of  and  adjoining 
the  highway  at  the  i)oint  where  the  David  C^oleman 
factory  stood.  In  1850  when  the  ground  for  the 
factory  was  dug  up  and  graded,  fragments  of  bones, 


86  History  of  Marlborough. 

hair,  etc  were  found,  showing  clearly  that  it  had  been 
a  burial  ground. 

Gomez  the  Jew,  after  whom  the  Jew's  Creek  is 
named,  was  a  New  York  merchant  but  resided  here 
part  of  the  time.  In  the  districting  of  the  highways 
his  residence  is  spoken  of  as  "  the  Jew's  house." 

Quick  and  Hoffman  were  then  jointly  the  owners  of 
the  Griggs  and  Graham  Patent,  afterward  owned  by 
DuBois,  and  were  paying  taxes  on  it. 


Our  Ancestors. 
In   the   address  made   by  Daniel   Webster,   at   the 
celebration  of  the  New  England  Society  at  Washing- 
ton, December,  1845,  he  said : 

It  is  wise  for  us  to  recur  to  the  history  of  our  ancestors. 
Those  who  are  regardless  of  the  liistory  of  our  ancestors  and 
their  posterity  —  who  do  not  look  upon  themselves  as  a  link 
connecting  the  past  with  the  future,  in  the  transmission  of  life 
from  their  ancestors  to  their  posterity,  do  not  perform  their 
duty  to  the  world.  To  he  faithful  to  ourselves,  we  must  keep 
our  ancestors  and  posterity  within  reach  and  grasp  of  our 
thoughts  and  affections,  living  in  the  memory  and  retrospect 
of  the  past,  and  hoping  with  affection  and  care  for  those  who 
are  to  come  after  us.  We  are  true  to  ourselves  only  when  we 
act  with  becoming  pride  for  the  l)lood  we  inherit,  and  which 
we  are  to  transmit  to  tliose  wlio  shall  fill  our  places. 

Throughout  continental  Europe  it  is  quite  the 
fashion  for  people  to  try  to  trace  their  ancestry  back 
in  past  history  to  some  duke  or  other  titled  person- 
age who  in  his  day  was  considered  great  —  some  by 
their  own  achievements  but  mostly  by  being  favorites 
of  the  Crown  or  to  some  famous  general  of  the  army, 
who  by  his  valor  and  prowess  had  brought  honor  and 
renown  to  his  country,  and  by  his  conquests  extend- 
ing its  boundaries;  others  might  have  been  excellent 
scholars    and    poets    or    recognized    statesmen    and 


Our  Ancestors.  87 


rulers.  Some  people  are  proud  to  trace  their  ances- 
try to  some  such  a  person,  but  it  turns  out  in  most 
instances  that  the  ancestor  is  the  only  great  and 
worthy  man  in  all  the  line  of  the  family.  The  ruling 
house  of  Great  Britain  to-day  trace  their  ancestry 
back  a  thousand  jeavs  to  the  Duke  of  Normandy  who 
entered  England  with  an  army  of  60,000  men,  who 
conquered  the  country  and  established  the  present 
reigning  house,  but  when  we  trace  the  lineage  of  the 
Duke  we  find  that  he  was  the  natural  son,  which  his 
father,  the  old  Duke,  had  by  the  daughter  of  a  tanner. 
But  it  does  not  follow  that  a  person  is  unworthy  of 
remembrance  because  he  has  not  marched  at  the  head 
of  an  army,  captured  a  city,  or  governed  a  nation. 
Those  who  have  done  all  that  was  reasonable  and 
proper,  in  private  or  public  atfairs,  in  a  small  and 
humble  way,  may  have  exej-ted  an  influence  as  lasting 
and  beneficial  in  many  ways  as  those  who  had  more 
opportunities  and  more  elevated  positions.  The  best 
blood  of  Europe  animated  the  early  settlers  of  this 
town  and  country.  They  were  sons  of  toil,  leasehold 
farmers,  the  fee  to  the  lands  being  in  the  hands  of  the 
titled  gentry;  they  were  an  industrious,  economical 
people,  brought  up  to  work  and  save  and  be  thrifty, 
and  transmitted  these  qualities  from  one  generation  to 
another.  They  obtained  such  education  as  the  com- 
munities in  which  they  lived  afforded.  They  were 
christian  and  devout ;  they  all  had  some  form  of  public 
worship  which  they  considered  it  a  sacred  duty  to  at- 
tend, and  observed  the  teachings  of  the  church.  This 
is  the  class  of  people  who  were  our  ancestors;  they 
came  mostly  from  England  soon  after  this  province 
came  into  the  possession  of  the  English  government. 
They  settled  at  first  for  the  most  part  in  other  places 
in  the  province,  and  they  and  their  children  from 
time  to  time  became  the  owners  of  the  soil  and  the 
inhabitants    of    this    town.     They    cleared    up    these 


HiSTOKY    OF    MaELBOROUGH. 


stony  lands;  they  reared  their  houses;  raised  their 
families  and  were  the  commencement  of  all  that  exist 
to-day.  It  is  no  great  stretch  of  the  imagination  to 
view  the  aspect  of  the  town  in  those  times  ^ — the 
forests,  the  swamps,  the  rocky  surface.  If  our  people 
could  go  back  and  view  it  all  and  be  required  to  com- 
mence anew,  they  would  stand  appalled.  At  this  late 
day,  it  is  hard  to  conceive  what  trials  and  hardships 
our  ancestors  must  have  endured  to  gain  a  foothold 
on  what  was  then  rugged  and  barren  land,  and  they 
are  worthy  of  much  praise,  and  we  trust  and  hope 
that  their  names  will  never  be  forgotten,  but  will  be 
respected  and  held  in  loving  rememl)rance  l)y  all  their 
descendants.  The  names  of  all  these  people,  or  their 
family  names  —  I  should  say,  can  easily  l)e  traced  in 
the  first  records  of  Long  Island  and  Westchester 
county  and  in  English  records  and  history,  and  with 
patience  the  ancestry  of  the  people  can  be  traced  l)ack 
many  generations.  They  sprang  from  the  humble 
paths  of  life;  they  had  been  led  out  for  centuries  by 
the  nobility  to  fight  on  the  battlefields  of  Europe. 
They  had  been  |)ersecuted  and  oppressed  and  had 
sighed  for  freedom  and  equal  rights,  and  looked  to 
the  future  and  a  new  country  for  the  realization  of 
their  hopes.  They  cast  aside  their  regrets  for  their 
native  land  and  braved  the  dangers  of  the  ocean  and 
of  a  new  and  untried  country  and  came  to  these  shores. 
They  were  our  fathers  and  mothers  and  we  revere 
their  memory. 

The  first  settlers  of  a  country  impart  tone  and  char- 
acter to  its  institutions  and  the  habits  and  manners  of 
the  people,  and  what  they  begin  and  accomplish  are 
seen  and  felt  for  many  succeeding  years.  Those  com- 
ing after  imitate  their  examples  and  follow  their 
teachings. 

Lessons  can  be  learned  as  well  from  the  small  as 
from  the  great.    We  claim  for  our  ancestors  no  par- 


Our  Ancestors.  89 


ticular  exemption  from  human  frailty  and  vices  in- 
cident to  all  conditions.  Like  all  others  they  were 
good  and  bad  character,  but  they  were  largely  of  the 
good  and  virtuous  class.  If  on  trying  to  trace  back 
and  counting  them  up  we  find  the  positively  bad,  they 
are  not  to  be  thrown  aside  on  that  account  with  the 
hope  of  covering  up  their  errors  lest  the  chain  of 
descent  be  broken.  It  is  our  business  to  learn  from 
them  all  and  be  ever  thankful  that  we  are  descended 
from  so  sturdy  and  worthy  a  race. 

In  our  reflections  upon  the  character  and  conduct  of 
our  forefathers,  there  is  much  that  is  personal  and 
agreeable  to  the  feelings.  We  own  and  adopt  them  as 
members  of  the  family,  think  and  speak  of  them  as 
nearly  allied  to  us,  though  not  one  drop  of  their 
blood  deepens  the  color  of  our  own.  We  share  their 
respect  and  renown,  and  glory  in  their  fame.  We  ap- 
propriate them  to  ourselves  and  make  them  ours.  We 
feel  as  they  felt,  pity  and  weep  over  their  hardships 
and  misfortunes. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The    Town   of   Marlborough   in   the   Revolution  — 
THE  Committee  of  Safety  and  Observation. 

The  drama  of  the  revolution  opened  in  Marlbor- 
ough as  in  most  other  places,  on  the  passage  of  the 
non-importation  resolutions  by  the  Provincial  Con- 
gress- in  177-1:,  which  resolutions  and  other  matters 
under  discussion  by  the  people  in  relation  to  the  con- 
duct of  England  toward  her  colonies  led  to  the  forma- 
tion in  cities,  towns  and  precincts,  of  a  Committee  of 
Safety  and  Observation. 

The  city  of  New  York  took  the  lead  by  fonning  a 
committee  of  one  hundred.  Isaac  Low,  chairman,  sent 
out  circulars  to  the  towns  and  precincts  in  the  prov- 
ince urging  the  formation  of  similar  committees.  In 
the  precinct  of  New  Marlborough  a  public  meeting 
was  called  in  January,  1775,  when  a  committee  was 
appointed.  The  following  named  persons  constituted 
the  committee  of  New  Marlborough,  though  all  were 
not  appointed  at  tire  first  meeting  —  some  of  the  mem- 
bers were  a})pointed  at  subsequent  meetings  to  fill 
vacancies,  though  all  of  those  named  served  at  some 
time  during  the  war,  Benjamin  Carpenter,  Abijah 
Perkins,  Lewis  DuBois,  Wolvert  Ecker,  Nathan  Kel- 
sey,  Right  Carpenter,  Henry  Lockwood,  John  Wool- 
sey,  Nick  Wygant,  Joseph  Morey,  Richard  Carpenter, 
Silas  Purdy,  Henry  Terboss,  John  Smith,  Henry  Du- 
Bois, Elijah  Lewis,  and  I  think  Nathaniel  Potter.  The 
last  named  lived  just  over  the  line  in  what  is  now  the 
town  of  Lloyd.  He  acted  with  the  committee  and  made 
arrests  for  them.  Jacob  Dayton,  when  arrested  by  him 
and  examined,  was  bound  over  to  him,  so  he  must  have 
been  one  of  the  committee.  These  persons  were  ap- 
pointed at  public  meetings  called  for  that  ])uri)ose, 

[ni] 


92  History  of  Marlborough. 


and  the  authority  which  they  exercised  must  have 
been  conferred  by  such  meetings.  They  appear  to 
have  had  authority  to  sequester  horses,  grain  and  pro- 
visions, fix  the  price  for  the  same,  and  issue  certifi- 
cates for  the  payment  thereof.  They  could  order  the 
arrest  of  tori-es  or  persons  who  were  suspected  as 
being  unfavorable  to  the  cause  of  liberty,  to  have  such 
persons  brought  before  them  for  examination,  and 
take  the  evidence  and  deposition  of  witnesses,  and  if 
they  thought  proper,  could  send  such  persons  before 
the  State  committee  or  a  general  court-martial  for 
trial,  tog'ether  with  the  examination  and  depositions 
taken,  and  they  sometimes  imprisoned  persons.  They 
could  compel  suspected  persons  to  give  security  to  one 
or  more  of  the  committee  for  their  good  behavior. 
They  had  power  to  call  out  the  inhabitants  concern- 
ing the  tories  and  other  disloyal  people  who  were 
going  off  to  enlist  with  the  enemy,  and  to  intercept 
them;  also  persons  fearing  arrest  could  voluntarily 
go  before  the  committee  and  be  regularly  examined 
and  allowed  to  explain  their  conduct,  and  if  the  com- 
mittee determined  that  they  were  loyal,  they  issued  a 
certificate  to  them  to  that  effect,  which  allowed  them 
to  remain  quiet  and  peaceable  at  their  homes  and  ex- 
empted them  from  arrest;  all  of  which  will  be  shown 
in  subsequent  chapters.  They  seized  the  goods  of 
those  who  joined  the  enemy;  they  called  together 
meetings  of  the  inhabitants  for  the  raising  and  organ- 
izing of  troops,  and  other  patriotic  purposes.  Two  or 
more  members  of  such  committee  presided  at  such 
meetings.  They  obtained  the  signatures  of  the  inhab- 
itants who  were  favorable  to  the  cause  of  liberty  to 
the  Articles  of  Association.  They  also  prepared  lists 
of  those  who  refused  to  sign,  and  sent  such  lists  to  the 
State  committee  at  New  York  city. 

I  find  that  they  recommended  persons  for  offices  in 
the  army ;  also  they  appear  to  have  had  charge  of  the 


Marlborough  in  the  Revolution.         .      93 

town  or  precinct  government  to  a  great  extent,  esp(v 
cially  as  to  those  matters  which  related  to  the  war. 
The  members  of  the  town  committees  constituted  the 
county  committee  when  they  met  together,  and  as 
such  they  chose  the  deputies  for  the  county  to  the  Pro- 
vincial convention  and  appointed  or  elected  deputies 
to  the  Provincial  Congress;  at  least  that  appears  to 
be  the  way  representatives  were  chosen  during  the 
war.  They  were  not  elected  at  any  general  election 
that  we  can  find  any  record  of.  They  also  appointed 
all  county  officers.  Apparently  the  entire  committee 
did  not  always  act  together,  as  many  of  the  papers 
are  signed  only  by  two  or  more  of  the  committee.  It 
is  hard  to  tell  what  all  their  duties  were ;  they  did,  or 
assumed  to  do,  many  things  in  connection  with  the 
conduct  of  the  war.  They  issued  many  orders  and  ap- 
peared generally  to  have  the  ability  to  enforce  them, 
though  oftentimes  their  authority  was  disputed;  they 
certainly  exercised  great  influence  in  the  cause,  were 
zealous,  just  and  true,  and  were  among  the  best  and 
most  worthy  people  of  the  town.  It  would  appear 
that  all  their  services  were  meritorious  and  gratuitous. 
I  cannot  find  that  they  ever  received  any  compensa- 
tion whatever.  They  were  looked  up  to  by  their  neigh- 
bors; their  advice  and  help  were  sought  and  they 
kept  posted  on  the  events  of  the  day.  The  people  con- 
gregated at  their  homes  to  hear  the  latest  news  from 
the  seat  of  the  war.  They  looked  after  the  families  of 
those  in  the  service,  collected  provisions  and  cloth- 
ing for  the  army  while  at  Valley  Forge  and  Newburgh 
and  delivered  the  same.  Benjamin  Carpenter  was 
chairman  of  the  committee. 

Wolvert  Ecker,  at  the  south  part  of  the  town,  or 
just  over  the  line,  had  a  mill  .on  Jew's  Creek.  He  was 
chairman  of  the  Newburgh  committee,  and  acted  also 
with  the  committee  here,  taking  great  interest  in  the 
progress  of  the  war.    He  kept  open  house,  as  it  might 


94  History  of  Marlboeough. 

be  said,  and  everyon-e  was  welcome.  It  was  quite  a 
place  to  meet  especially  on  Sundays,  and  it  is  said  that 
on  such  occasions  he  first  read  a  chapter  from  the 
Bible;  told  all  the  news  he  had,  and  the  people  dis- 
cussed the  events  of  the  day.  He  appears  to  have 
been  a  central  figure  of  the  committee.  He  spent  his 
time  and  money  and  never  lost  faith  in  the  cause.  He 
died  very  poor. 

John  Woolsey  appears  also  as  a  member  of  the  State 
committee.  The  first  duty  that  this  committee  per- 
formed was  to  attend  a  convention  at  New  Paltz  on 
the  7th  day  of  April  for  the  purpose  of  electing  dele- 
gates to  a  Provincial  convention. 

At  a  Meeting  of  the  Committees  of  the  several  Towns  and 
Precincts,  in  the  Count}'  of  Ulster,  to  appoint  Deputies  to  serve 
in  the  Provincial  Convention  at  the  City  of  New  York  on  the 
20th  day  of  April,  or  at  such  other  Time  and  Place  as  may  be 
agreed  on.  Held  at  New  Paltz  in  the  County  aforesaid  the 
7th  day  of  April  1775.     *     *     * 

Present:  For  New  Marlborougli ;  Benjamin  Carpenter,  Esq., 
Lewis  Dubois,  Joseph  Morey,  Abijah  Perkins,  Silas  Purdy,  and 
Henry  TerBoss. 

Col.  Johanns  Hardenburgh  was  chosen  President,  and  Charles 
DeWitt,  George  Clinton,  and  Levi  Paulding,  Esquires,  were 
nominated  and  unanimously  elected  Deputies  for  the  said 
County  to  serve  in  the  Provincial  Convention  for  the  purpose 
of  chosing  delegates  to  represent  this  Colony  in  General  Con- 
gress to  meet  at  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  on  the  10th  of  May 
next ;  with  full  power  to  declare  the  sense  of  this  county  relative 
to  the  grievances  under  which  His  Majesty's  American  Sub- 
jects labor,  and  of  the  measures  pursuing  and  to  be  pursued  for 
obtaining  Eedress,  and  to  Join  with  the  Deputies  for  the  other 
Counties  and  Cities  in  this  Colony  at  such  Provincial  Con- 
vention, in  instruction  to  the  delegates  so  as  l)y  them  to  be 
appointed,  if  they  shall  deem  it  necessary. 

Ordered  that  the  Same  be  signed  by  the  President. 

JoiiAXXES  Hardexburgii 

The  services  of  the  committee  and  of  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  precinct  were  again  soon  called  into 
action.     The  committee  of  New  York  drew  up  and 


Marlborough  in  the  Kevolution.  95 

signed  a  pledge  to  stand  by  the  orders  and  resolu- 
tions of  the  Continental  and  Provincial  Congress,  and 
this  pledge  was  sent  for  signatures  to  all  the  precincts 
and  counties  in  the  province,  and  for  this  town  was  as 
follows : 

Persuaded  that  the  salvation  of  the  rights  and  liberties  of 
America  depend,  under  God,  on  the  firm  union  of  its  inhabitants 
in  a  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  measures  necessary  for  its 
safety;  and  convinced  of  the  necessity  of  preventing  anarchy 
and  confusion,  which  attend  the  dissolution  of  the  powers  of 
government,  we,  the  freemen,  free-holders  and  inhaljitants  of 
Xew  Marlborough,  being  greatly  alarmed  at  the  avowed  design 
of  the  Ministry  to  raise  a  revenue  in  America,  and  shooked  by 
the  bloody  scene  now  actins?  in  Massachusetts  Bay,  do,  in  the 
most  solemn  manner,  resolve,  never  to  become  slaves ;  and  do 
associate,  under  all  the  ties  of  religion,  honor  and  love  to  our 
country,  to  adopt  and  endeavor  to  carry  into  execution  whatever 
measures  may  be  recommended  by  the  Continental  Congress,  or 
resolved  upon  by  our  Provincial  Convention,  for  the  purpose 
of  preserving  our  Constitution,  and  opposing  the  execution  of 
the  several  arbitrary  acts  of  the  British  Parliament,  until  a 
reconciliation  between  Great  Britain  and  America  on  Con- 
stitutional principles  (which  we  most  ardently  desire,)  can  be 
obtained;  and  that  we  will  in  all  things  follow  the  advice  of 
our  General  Committee  respecting  the  purposes  aforesaid,  the 
preservation  of  peace  and  good  order,  and  the  safety  of  indi- 
viduals and  property. 

All  who  signed  it  were  understood  to  be  open  and 
fearless  friends  of  the  American  cause,  whose  efforts 
and  influence  the  patriotic  leaders  could  depend  upon; 
while  those  refusing  to  sign  would  be  understood  and 
known  as  supporters  of  the  King.  The  proceedings 
of  the  New  York  committee  were  received  here  about 
the  1st  of  May,  and  immediately  a  copy  of  the  pledg-^a 
was  left  at  Lattintown  for  signatures;  a  large  part 
of  the  people  came  forward  voluntarily  and  signed 
tiieir  names.  Some  members  of  the  committee  then 
took  the  pledge  to  the  home  of  everyone  in  the  pre- 
cinct who  had  not  signed,  but  there  were  some  who 


96 


HisTOKY  OF  Marlborough. 


were  fearful  of  the  final  ending  of  the  controversy, 
and  feared  the  displeasure  of  the  English  govern- 
ment, and  anticipating  that  it  might  result  in  war  with 
the  mother  country;  and  there  were  many  Quakers 
here  who  were  opposed  to  war  on  principle  or  con- 
science, and  all  such  refused  to  sign  the  pledge. 

On  the  29th  day  of  May  the  Provincial  Congress 
directed  the  committee  holding  the  pledge  to  return 
the  same  by  tire  15th  of  July,  ''with  the  names  of 
signers  and  those  who  refused  to  sign,"  and  in  ac- 
cordance with  this  resolution  Benjamin  Carpenter, 
chairman,  and  Abijah  Perkins,  clerk,  made  return  of 
the  names  to  the  New  York  committee  or  the  Provin- 
cial Congress  on  the  lith  day  of  July.  The  signers 
of  the  Pledge .  or  Articles  of  Association  are  as 
follows : 


Benjamin   Carpenter 
Lewis  Dubois 
Joseph  ]\ror3^ 
Jurian  Maekey 
Gilbonrl  Cotton 
Jacob  Wood 
John  Woolsey 
Bordewin  Terepannv 
Eleazer    Frazer 
]\Iichael  Wygant 
Solomon  Warring 
Eichard  Carpenter 
Elija  Ferris 
Elija  Lewis 
Henry  TerBoss 
Silas  Purdy 
John  Duflfield 
Wright  Carpenter 
Peter  Berrian 
Abraham  Quick 
Abija  Perkins,  M.  D. 
Benj  Ely,  M.  D. 
Seth  Perkins,  M.  D. 
Benj.  J.  Frazer 


Lawrence  Bokker 
Abraham  Cooper 
Stepben  Case 
Ichabod  Williams 
John  Montgomer}' 
Jacob  De  Groot 
John  Mulliner 
Ananias  Valentine 
Zadock  Lewis 
Flavius  Waterman 
James  Pride 
Jacob  Baton 
Joseph  Caverly 
Nathaniel  Plumlistead 
Ebenezer  St.  John 
Samuel   Maekey 
Gilbert  Bloomer 
William  Martin 
Durneo  Eelyee 
Christ   Ostrander 
Henry  Lockwood 
John   Polhemus 
Stephen  Purdy 
Noali  St.  John 


Maklboeough  in  the  Revolution. 


97 


Daniel    Pollienius 
George   Landy 
Jacob  Kent 
AVilliam  Bloomer 
Isaac  Cropsie 
John  Bishop 
Uriah  Drake 
Xath'l  Cioodspeed 
Mica j ah  Lewis 
John  Davis 
Benjamin  Hnett 
George  Williams 
John  Schurit 
James   Tilkins 
George  Hallett 
Thomas  Quick,  jr. 
William  Gaverly 
Arilliam  Quick 
Henry  Decker 
Terrett  Lester 
James  ]\Ierritt 
William  Purdv 
Henry  Hill 
William   Pembroke 
Eliza  Gardner 
John  Bond 
John   Knowlton 
John  Scott 
John  ]\Iackey 
Mathew  Wygant 
Samuel  Abbe 
Andrew  Ares 
Alexander  Cropsie 
Samuel  Hannah 
Joseph  Bloomer 
William  Stanton 
Andrew  Young 
David   Mackey 
Abraham  Deane 
Bartholomew   Baker 
George  Williams 
David  ]\rartin 
Abraham  Lane 
George  Lane 
4 


Henry  Ferris 
Allen  Lester 
John  Ares 
Nathaniel  Harcourt 
John  Wygant 
James  Wheeler 
John  Quick 
Thomas   (^uick 
Israel-  Tuthill 
Jeriah  Ehods 
Jesse  Wheeler 
Oliver  Wheeler 
Job  St  John 
Jonathan  Woolsey 
George  Stanton 
Daniel  Bloomer 
Job  Wood 
John  Furman 
Nowell  Furman 
Isaac  Eowley 
Daniel  Knowlton 
Peter  Gaverly 
James  Hunter 
Nathaniel  Mills 
Josiah  Lockwood 
Benjamin    Dusenbury 
Isaac  Deyo 
Daniel   jMcQuinn 
Janter  Willidge 
John  Terwilleger,  jr. 
William  Relyee 
Marcus   Ostrander 
Joshua  Lockwood 
Jacob  Terepanny 
John  Terepanny 
Joseph  Gee 
Simon  Pelyee  jr 
Ste])hen  Seymour 
Josiah  Baker 
John  Baker 
Moses  C^ary 
Bartholomew   Bacon 
Nathaniel  Hull 
John  Hull 


!)8 


History  of  Marlborough. 


Chas  Mackey 
Charles  Mackey  jr 
Nathaniel    Quihiby 
Benjamin  AYoolsey 
Samuel  Hull,  jr. 
Xathaniel  Hull,  jr. 
John  Huitt 
Thomas  Peniljroke 
John  Lester 
Gideon  Ostrander 
Hendrick  Deyo,  jr. 
Daniel  Ostrander 
David  McMin 
Andrew  Cropsie 
Thomas  Milkwort h 
Joseph  Carpenter 
Pharaoh  Latting 
John  Lester 
David  Brush 
John  Wilson 
William  Woolsey 
William  Hollister 
Philip  Aires 
Henry   Jones 
Joseph  Wells 
John  Wygant,  jr. 
Benj    Stead 
Henry   Simpson 
Adam  Cropsie 
George  Woolsey 
Eneas  (^uimhy 
Samuel  St.  John 
Abram  Mabee 
Kichard  Woolsey 
AVm.  Van  Blaricom 
Adam  St.  John 
James  Jackson 
Al)el  Barnum 
AVilliam  Ostrander 
Adam  Case 
Simon  Ralyee,  jr. 
Jonathan  Tuttle 
James  Owen 
Peter  Looze 


Abraham  Mabee 
Benjamine  Comfort 
Israel  Tomkins 
Hugo  Scutt 
Abraham  Scutt 
William   Scutt 
Eobert  Everitt 
Metevis  Fevin 
John  Smith 
Alex  Mackey,  jr. 
Philip   Caverly 
Daniel    Geldersleeve 
Matthew  St.  John 
Isaac  Tan  Benschoten 
Petrus  Ostrander 
Nathaniel  Kelsey 
Alex  Mackey,  sr. 
Zephaniah  Woolsey 
Josiah  St.  John 
Jesse  Farechild 
Nehemiah   Smith 
Henry  Scott 
David  Merritt 
James  Van  Blaricom 
Walter  Comfort 
Joseph  Bloomei 
Jonathan  Lily 
Caleb  Merritt 
Thomas  Merritt 
Gabriel  Merritt 
Jacob  Cannaff 
Levi  Quimby 
James   Quimby 
Thomas  Wygant 
Garrett  Benschoten 
George  Piatt 
Herman    Chase 
Abraham  Losson 
Hendrick  House 
Durnee  S.  Relzee 
Francis  Gaine 
James  Waring 
Daniel  Robertson 


Marlbokough  in  the  Revolution. 


1)9 


William  Dusenbcriy 
Jonathan  Terrpaning 
David   Ostrander 
Thomas  Mackev 


Henn-  Deyo,  sr. 
Daniel  Cook,  jr. 
William  Wygant 
Josiah   ]\Ierritt 


The  following-  are  the  objectors  against  the  Associa- 
tion by  name,  and  refusing  to  sign: 


Isaac  Garrison 
Moses  Gregory 
James  Gregory 
Samuel   ^Merrett 
Elisha  Purdy 
John  Caverly 
John  Young 
Edward  Hallock 
Edward  Hallock,  jr. 
Solomon  Fowler 
John  Geroe 
William  Geroe 
Nathaniel   Gee 
Andrew  Gee 
Henry  Cronk 
Frederick   Cronk 
Frederick  Gee 
George  Hardon 
Jonathan  Lane 
Nehemiah  Horton 


Isaac  Horton 
Latting  Carpenter 
Xathaniel    Hiighson 
David  Horton 
Jose})h  Lane 
SamiK'l  Devine 
Jose])li  Devine 
Dnrnee  Eelyea,  jr. 
Benjamin  Eelyea 
William  Place 
Ohediah  Palmer 
Samuel    Hallock 
Daniel    Conklin 
Jeremiah    Canniff 
Isaac   Canniff 
William    Warren 
Jacob  Eussell 
Humphrey   Merritt 
Benj.  Carpenter,  Chairman 
Abijah    Perkins,    Clerk. 


Xew  Marlborough,  July  11,  1775. 
Committee  of  Xew  Marlborough  to  P.  Y.  B.  Livingston  and 
Gentlemen : 

Agreeable  to  your  Eesolution  of  the  29th  of  May  last  we^ 
the  Committee  of  Xew  Marlborough  have  endeavored  that  every 
individual.  Inhabitant  of  this  precinct  should  have  the  offer  to 
sign  the  Association  and  having  done  it  accordingly  Do  now 
return  a  List  of  the  signers  who  voluntarily  subscribed,  and 
also  those  who  refused  to  sign  said  Association. 

BEXJ.  CAEPEXTEE,- Chairman 
ABb  PEEKIXS,  Clerk 

The  enclosed  is  a  true  list  of  the  signers  to  the  Association. 

This  was  shortly  after  the  battle  of  Lexington  and 
the  people  had  become  quite  decided  in  their  views 


100  History  of  Maelboeough. 


and  in  the  pn])lie  opinion  there  was  quite  a  marked 
difference  between  those  who  stood  up  manfully  and 
subscribed  their  names  and  those  who  refused  to  sign. 

This  list  includes  the  names  of  those  who  then  re- 
sided in  what  is  now  Plattekill;  they  were  the  men 
of  the  town  in  those  days,  of  1(3  years  of  age  and  up- 
ward, and  both  lists  were  intended  to  include  every- 
one. They  show  that  the  town,  (or,  as  it  was  then 
called,  the  precinct,)  had  a  large  population  for  those 
times;  232  signed,  38  refused- — 270  in  all;  whereas  in 
the  precinct  of  Newburgh  159  signed,  54  refused, 
making  213  in  all,  which  shows  that  Marlborough  was 
not  only  more  }»opulous,  but  was  also  more  loyal  to 
the  cause.  In  our  precinct  many  of  those  who  did 
not  sign,  refused  for  conscience'  sake;  but  they  were, 
and  their  descendants  have  always  been  good  citizens ; 
and  a  few  of  those  who  did  sign  afterward  went  over 
to  the  enemy. 

While  tbe  above  proceedings  were  in  progress,  an- 
other convention  of  committees  from  the  precincts  of 
the  county  was  held  at  New  Paltz,  at  the  house  of  Mrs. 
Ann  DuBois,  May  11th,  for  the  purpose  of  selecting 
deputies  to  the  Provincial  Congress.  The  following 
appeared  for  New  Marlborough:  Lewis  DuBois,  Ben- 
jamin Carpenter,  Esq.,  and  Jos€i)h  Morey.  Charles 
D.  Witt,  Esq.,  was  chosen  chairman.  Colonel  Johannis 
Hardenburgh,  Colonel  James  Clinton,  Egbert  Du- 
mond.  Dr.  Charles  Clinton,  Christopher  Tappen,  John 
Nickolson  and  Jacob  Hornbeck,  Esquires,  were  chosen 
deputies  for  the  said  county  to  serve  in  the  Provin- 
cial convention  at  the  city  of  New  York  on  the  22d 
day  of  May. 

All  the  town  officers  were  required  to  take  the  Oath  of 
Allegiance  to  the  state : 

Oaths  of  alleo-ianco  to  the  State  of  New  York  of  sundry 
officers  S:c.  We,  Stephen  Case,  Henry  Terl)oos,  Leonard  Smith, 
Nathaniel    Harker,    assessors    for   the   precinct   of   New    ]\Lirl- 


Marlboroux]ih  in  the  Kevolution,  101 

borough :  Do  solemnly  swear  and  declare  in  the  presence  of 
Almighty  God  that  Ave  will  bear  true  faith  and  allegiance  to 
the  State  of  Xew  York  as  a  free  and  independent  State  and 
that  we  will  in  all  things  to  the  best  of  onr  knowledge  and 
ability  do  our  duty  as  good  subjects  of  the  said  State  ought  to 
do.     So  help  me  God. 

LEOXAED  S:\riTH 
HEXEY  TEEBOSS 
Sworn  to  heioro  me  this  2d      STEPHEX  CASE 

day  of  Ma}-,  ITTS.  X^ATHAXIEL   HAECOUET. 

AYolvert.  Ecker,  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

Fourth  Regiment  —  Levies  and  ]\riLiTiA. 
The  Fourth,  Fifth  and  Sixth  companies  were  from 
this  town.    They  were  commissioned  and  mustered  in- 
to the  service  on  the  11th  day  of  (Jctober,  1775. 

Fourth  Company,  Southeast  Marlborough  —  Lewis  DuBois, 
Captain;  Caleb  Merritt,  First  Lieut.;  Dr.  Abijah  Perkins, 
Second  Lieut. ;  Matthew  Wygant,  Ensign.  DuBois  entered  Con- 
tinental service,  and  was  succeeded  as  Captain  by  Calel)  Merritt ; 
Abijah  Perkins,  First  Lieut. ;  Stephen  Case,  Second  Lieut. ; 
Matthew-  Wygant,  Ensign.  In  ITSO  the  roll  stood:  Stephen 
Case,  Captain ;  Matthew  Wygant,  First  Lieut. ;  John  Banta,, 
Second  Lieut. ;  Xathaniel  DuBois,  Ensign,  vice  Alexander 
Cropsey,  displaced. 

Fifth  Company,  Xortheast  ]\Iarlljorough. —  Jacob  Wood, 
Captain;  Jjirian  Mackey,  First  Lieut.;  X'athaniel  Goodspeed, 
Second  Lieut.;  John  Knowlton,  Ensign.  In  1TT9  Anning 
Smith,  Firs  I;  Lieut. ;  yiceJMackey,  resigned ;  X'athaniel  Kelsey, 
Second  Lieut. ;  Xathaniel  HaT'ker,  Ensign,  vice  Knowlton, 
removed. 

Sixth  Company,  X'orthwest  Marlborough  —  Bordawine  Tear- 
penning,  Captain ;  William  Martin,  First  Lieut. ;  Friah  Drake, 
Second  Lieut. ;  John  Everett,  Ensign ;  David  Ostrander,  Second 
Lieut.,  March  9,  1TT8;  Captain,  March  6,  1779;  James  Lyons, 
First  Lieut.;  Jacob  Terwilliger,  Second  Lieut.;  Htigo  Sheet, 
Ensign. 

Southern  Eegiment  of  ^Minute  ]\Ien,  Xew  ]\Ijarl borough  Com- 
pany.— Commissioned  December  1,  177o.  Silas  Purdy, 
Captain;  Wolvert  Ecker,  First  Lieut.;  Zo})her  Perkins,  Second 
Lieut.;  Leonard   Smith,  Jr.,  Ensign. 


102  History  of  Marlborough. 

Associated  Exempts. 

Appointed  November,  1778 :  Samuels  Edwards,  Cap- 
tain; Nathaniel  Wygant,  First  Lieut.;  John  Stratton, 
Second  Lieut. ;  Micajah  Lewis,  Ensign.  This  last  com- 
l)any  was  organized  for  home  defense  and  was  not  to 
be  taken  beyond  the  county.  I  cannot  find  the  muster 
roles  of  these  coini)anies  or  the  names  of  the  men. 


Certificates  of  the  Committee  of  Safety 

New  Marlborough,  Oct.  ye  2(1  1775. 

At  a  Eegular  Election  held  this  day  in  the  southeast  destrict 
of  New  Marlborough  Precinct  Agreeable  to  the  resolves  of  the 
Provincial  Congress,  was  chosen  by  a  plurality  of  votes  of  the 
Soldiers  of  the  Militia  Co.  of  said  Destrict  Commanded  by 
Col.  Jonathan  Hasbrouck  the  following  officers :  Caleb  Merritt, 
Captain;  Abijah  Perkins,  1st  Lieut.;  Stephen  Case,  2nd  Lieut.; 
JMathew  A^"ygant,  Ensign;  which  Choice  w^as  made  in  the 
presence  of  us  the  subscril^ers  two  of  the  Committee  of  said 
Precinct.     We  are  gentlemen,  vour  verv  Humble  Servants. 

"    JOHN   AYOOLSEY 
NICK  WEYGANT 

Eeturn  of  Election  of  ]\Ii]itia  officers  Lister  County. 

Honorable  Gentlemen  Agreeable  to  your  orders  the  south 
district  of  the  precinct  of  New  Marlbprough  met  on  the  20th 
of  this  Instant  and  chose  l)y  a  plurality  of  votes  the  following- 
officers  for  the  Militia  (viz):  Lewis  DuBois.  Capt. ;  Caleb 
Merritt,  1st  Lieut.;  Dr.  Abijah  Perkins,  2nd  Lieut.:  :\Iathew 
Wygant,  Ensign. 

Aug.  20,  1775  We  are  gentlemen  your  very 

Commissions  issued  Sept.  huml)le  servants. 

20,  1775.  JOHN  SMITH  and  HENPtY  DLBOIS 

Two  of  the  Committee 'of  New  Marlborouoh 


Electiox  of  Officers. 
A  list  of  the  officers  chosen  in  a  company  of  foot  in  New 
^Marlborough  Agreeable  to  the  directions  of  Congress: 


£::  ^ 


^% 


X     ^ 


'o 


"^ 


Marlborough  in  the  Revolution.  103 

Bordavine    Terpening,    C'apt. ;    AVilliam    ^lartin,    1st    Lieut. ; 
Uriah  Drake,  2nd  Lieut. ;  John  Everitt,  Ensign. 
Witness  niv  hand   Sept.   (ith,   1775. 

BEXJAMIAT  CAEPEXTER 

Chairman 
Commissions  issued  and  dated  Oet.  11,  1775. 

Xew  Marlhorough,  Sept.  30,  1775. 

To  the  Honorable  Provincial  Congress  at  ISTew  York  city ;  at 
an  election  of  officers  at  New  Marlborough  Agreeal)lc  to  the 
directions  of  Congress  have  chosen  by  the  ^Majority  of  votes  in 
the  northeast  Destrict  of  said  precinct.  Beginning  at  Hudson's 
Eiver  at  Lewis  DuBoises  Xorth  line  running  West  to  the 
mountains  thence  North  to  New  Paltz  line,  thence  to  the  river. 

Jacob  Wood,  Capt. ;  Jurian  Mackey,  1st  Lieut. ;  Nathaniel 
Goodspeed,  2nd  Lieut. ;  John  Knowlton,  Ensign. 

We  the  Inspectors  being. two  of  the  committee  of  the  said 
Destrict,  Being  in  Col.  Hasbrouk's  Eegiment. 

Commissions  issued  and  JOSEPH  MOEEY 

dated  Oct.   17,   1775.  EICHAED  CAEPENTEE 

Two  of  the  committee 


Commission  of  Willia:m  Woolsey. 

THE  PEOPLE  OF  THE  STATE  OF  NEW  YOEK 

[Seal]     by  the  Grace  of  (iOD  FEEE  and  INDEPENDENT. 

To  William  Woolsey  Genfii  Greeting. 

WE  reposing  esj^ecial  Trust  and  Confidence  as  well  in  your 
Patriotism,  Conduct  and  Loyalty,  as  in  your  Valour  and 
Eeadiness  to  do  us  good  and  faithful  Service,  Have  Appointed 
and  constituted,  and  by  these  I'resents  Do  Appoint  and  Con- 
stitute you  the  said  William  Woolsey  Ensign  of  Captain  James 
Talmages  Company  of  Militia  in  the  County  of  Dutchess,  in 
the  Eegiment  whereof  Eoswell  Hopkins  Esquire  is  Colonel. 

YOU  are  therefore,  to  take  the  said  Company  into  your 
charge  and  care  as  Ensign  thereof,  and  duly  to  exercise  the 
Officers  and  Soldiers  of  that  Company  in  Arms,  who  are  hereby 
commanded  to  obey  you  as  their  Ensign  and  you  are  also  to 
Observe  and  follow  such  Orders  and  Directions  as  you  shall 
froiu  time  to  time,  receive  from  our  General  and  Commander 
in  chief  of  i]\c  ^Filitia  of  our  said  State,  or  any  other  your 
Superioi'  Ohicci-.  According  to  the  Eules  and  Discipline  of  War, 
in   pursuance  of  the   I'rust   reposed   in   you  :  and   for  so  doing 


lO-i  History  of  Marlborough. 

this  shall  be  YOUE  C*0M:\n8SI0X,  for  and  during  our  good 
pleasure,  to  be  Signified  by  our  Council  of  Appointment.  IX 
TESTIMONY  whereof  we  have  caused  our  Seal  for  Military 
Commissions  to  be  hereunto  Atlixed.  Witness  our  Trusty  and 
well  beloved  George  Clinton  Esquire  our  Governor  of  our  State 
of  Xew  York,  General  and  Commander  in  chief  of  all  the  Mil- 
itia, and  Admiral  of  the  Xavy  of  the  same,  by  and  with  the 
Advice  and  Consent  of  our  said  Council  of  Appointment,  at 
Poughkeepsie  the  Twenty  fifth  day  of  June  in  the  Second  year 
of  our  Independence,  and  in  the  year  of  LOED  one  Thousand 
Seven  Hundred  and  Seventy  Eight. 

Passed  the  Secretarvs  office  Julv  4th  1778 

BY  HIS  EXCELLEXCY'  COMMAXD. 

Geo.  Clinton. 

AI)ri»  B.  Bancker  Dy  Secretary. 

The  militia  was  virtually  State  troops.  They  could 
be  called  upon  for  service  in  the  army  by  the  proper 
authorities  at  any  time,  and  in  such  cases  the  colonel 
of  a  regiment  was  ordered  to  furnish  a  certain  number 
of  troops  for  a  certain  pur])Ose,  and  the  men  were 
drafted  from  the  whole  number,  and  they  in  fact  be- 
came as  regular  troops  or  the  line  of  the  army,  after 
they  were  so  drafted,  for  the  time  being. 

Anning  Smith  served  as  a  lieutenant  in  Captain 
AVilliam  Gross'  Company,  of  Colonel  Johannes  Jan- 
sen's  Regiment  of  New  York  Militia,  from  Ulster 
county,  ordered  out  in  the  service  of  the  United 
States,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Pauling,  June 
4,  1780.  His  name  appears  on  a  payroll  dated  at 
Hanover,  March  4,  17S2. 


The  Invasion  of  C^anada, 
The  Continental  Congress,  in  August,  1775,  having 
determined  upon  the  invasion  of  Canada,  called  upon 
New  York  to  furnish  four  regiments  of  troops,  among 
those  furnished  was  the  third  (Ulster)  Regiment, 
James    Clinton,    colonel.      This    regiment    was    well 


Marlborough  in  the  Kevolution,  105 

armed  and  equipped.  The  uniform  consisted  of  a 
gray  coat  with  green  cuffs  and  facings.  The  waist- 
coat was  of  Russia  drilling  reaching  to  the  hips;  the 
trousers  were  of  drilling  and  of  knee  length;,  thei 
stockings  were  long,  reaching  to  the  knee,  were  woolen, 
and  of  home  knitting;  the  shoes  were  low;  they  wore 
linen  cravats,  and  a  low-crowned  felt  hat  with  a  very 
broad  brim.  The  regiments  were  distinguished  from 
each  other  by  the  color  of  the  coat  and  facings,  each 
regiment  consisting  of  ten  companies.  The  officers 
of  the  Fourth  company  were:  Lewis  UuBois,  captain; 
Elias  Van  Benschoten,  Jr.,  first  lieutenant;  Andrew 
Lawrence,  second  lieutenant.  The  officers  of  the 
Tenth  company  were:  Eobert  Johnson,  captain; 
Phili])  Du  Bois  Bevier,  first  lieutenant;  William 
Martin,  second  lieutenant. 

The  regiments  for  the  invasion  were  brigaded  under 
Greneral  Montgomery  of  Dutchess  county.  In  tire 
later  part  of  August,  1775,  they  marched  to  Albany 
and  there  waited  further  directions.  General  Schuyler 
becoming  sick  on  the  march,  Montgomery  l)ecame 
lieacl  of  the  division.  He  at  once  pressed  forward,  and 
though  embarrassed  liy  lack  of  munitions  and  food, 
and  by  the  disaffection  of  some  of  his  command,  had 
before  the  end  of  November  captured  successively 
Chambly,  St.  Johns,  and  Montreal,  thus  gaining  the 
mastery  over  the  greater  part  of  the  province.  In 
the  next  month  a  junction  was  effected  with  Arnold 
before  Quebec.  The  assault  of  the  town  was  at  once 
resolved  upon  and  on  December  31,  shortly  after  mid- 
night, attempted,  a  snow-fall  aiding  the  concealment 
of  the  troops'  movements.  One  division  was  to 
direct  its  attack  against  the  fortifications  at  the  lower 
end  of  the  town,  while  the  other  under  Montgomery's 
command  was  to  scale  the  Cape  Diamond  bastion. 
The  surprise  was  complete,  the  British  artillerists 
retreating   after   one    discharge.      Unhappily,    Mont- 


106  History  of  Marlborough. 

gomery,  who  was  pressing  forward  at  the  head  of 
his  troops,  was  instantly  killed  by  this  single  fire,  two 
of  his  aids  falling  with  him.  The  undisciplined  troops 
were  paralyzed  at  the  loss  of  their  leader  and  a  re- 
treat ensued.  Congress,  in  recognition  of  Mont- 
gomery's services,  ordered  a  monument  erected  in  his 
honor  in  front  of  St.  Paul's  church,  New  York  city,  and 
in  1818  his  remains  were  interred  there  with  impressive 
ceremonies.  The  New  York  troops  remained  in  and 
around  the  lower  town  of  Quebec,  (the  British  troops 
being  entrenched  in  the  upper  town),  and  they  were 
compelled  to  endure  the  trials  and  hardships  of  a 
winter  campaign  in  that  high  latitude.  It  had  been  a 
march  of  hardship  and  exposure  from  the  time  they 
had  left  Albany  until  they  connnenced  their  retreat  in 
the  si)ring,  falling  back  from  (Quebec  over  the  route 
they  had  taken.  It  will  be  seen  by  the  names  of  of- 
ficers given  of  the  fourth  and  tenth  companies  that 
some  were  from  this  town  and  the  rest  from  this 
vicinity,  and  there  were  a  number  of  soldiers  in  this 
expedition  from  about  here,  in  fact  most  of  the  sol- 
diers in  the  fourth  and  tenth  companies  were  from  this 
town  and  vicinity.  It  would  appear  that  in  this  cam- 
paign, after  they  were  driven  back  from  their  attack 
on  the  upper  town,  they  had  to  fortify  themselves  in 
the  lower  town  and  vicinity,  as  they  were  virtually  in 
a  trap  for  the  time  being.  They  could  not  then  re- 
treat, and  had  to  obtain  their  supplies  of  food  from 
the  surrounding  country,  and  such  as  could  be  trans- 
ported to  them  from  the  vicinity  of  Albany  and  Sche- 
nectady through  the  snows  of  winter  and  ahnost  track- 
less forests.  The  army  was  unable  to  extricate  itself 
and  protect  its  retreat  until  spring  began  to  open,  and 
it  is  easy  to  imagine  the  sufferings  and  j^rivations  of 
that  winter  campaign.  The  survivors  of  that  memor- 
able and  ill-fated  expedition  were  wont  to  relate  dur- 
ing  the   remainder   of   their  lives   the   facts,   circum- 


Maelboeough  in  the  Eevolution.  107 


stances  and  incidents  of  wliat  liad  liappened  to  them 
what  transpired  upon  the  march  to  and  from  and  at 
the  siege  of  Quebec. 


Lewis   DuBois  and  William   Maetin. 

Lewis  DnBois,  born  Septeml)er  14,  1728,  was  cap- 
tain in  1775;  in  Febrnary,  1776,  he  was  major  in  the 
fonrth  regiment  at  the  seige  of  (,)uebec,  where  Gen- 
eral Montgomery  was  killed.  James  Clinton  was 
colonel  of  the  regiment.  In  the  proceedings  of  Con- 
gress, 1776,  I  find  as  follows:  ''  Col.  DuBois  hath  been 
well  recommended  to  this  Congress  as  an  exceedingly 
good  officer  capable  of  commanding  a  regiment  with 
credit  to  himself  and  credit  to  his  country."  And  he 
was  authorized  to  raise  the  fifth  regiment  of  the  line, 
which  he  did,  and  was  commissioned  as  colonel  by 
Congress  to  rank  from  the  25th  day  of  June,  1776. 
He  was  at  the  battle  of  Fort  Montgomery  and  other 
places;  he  resigned  on  the   22d  day  of  December,  1779. 

William  Martin  was  second  lieutenant  in  1775,  and 
second  and  first  lieutenant  in  1776,  upon  the  invasion 
of  Canada  and  siege  of  Quebec.  On  the  8tli  of  Jan- 
uary, 1776,  the  Continental  Congress  issued  its  first 
call  for  troops  for  the  purpose  of  reinforcing  the 
army  in  Canada.  Under  this  call  Ulster  county  fur- 
nished one  company,  of  which  William  Martin  of  New 
Marlborough  was  captain.  In  connection  with  this  I 
find  the  following: 

Proceedings  of  the  Continental  Cong-ress,  Feb.  15,  ir:(i. 

"  Eeceived  a  letter  from  Thomas  Palmer  inclosing  an  agree- 
ment and  the  name  of  a  numl)er  of  (.5?)  men  who  have  agreed 
to  enlist  under  :\Ir.  William  Martin  as  their  Captain  in  the 
troops  to  be  raised  for  tlie  defence  of  this  Colony,  as  also  an 
extract  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Committee  of  N"e^y  :\rarl bor- 
ough, approving  of,  and  recommending  tlie  said  William  Martin 
as  a  Captain  in  the  said  t?-oop  to  l)e  raised,  which  was  rend.'" 


108  History  of  Marlboeough, 


There  is  no  question  but  that  'Colonel  Lewis  Du- 
Bois  and  Captain  Martin  were  the  prominent  soldiers 
of  this  town  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  though  many 
others  did  good  and  faithful  service,  the  records  of 
whom  have  been  given  as  far  as  I  could.  It  is  hard  at 
this  late  day  to  trace  them  all  out,  and  properly 
specify  their  services.  Colonel  Lewis  DuBois  was  a 
man  of  means  and  ])rominence,  and  had  many  re- 
cruits from  this  i)recinct,  and  that  some  were  killed 
and  wounded  in  Canada  and  at  Forts  Clinton  and 
Montgomery.  1  find  that  the  amount  raised  for  the 
poor  in  1778  had  increased  from  a  small  amount  in 
the  year  previous  to  125  pounds,  and  it  had  increased 
in  Newburgh  from  50  pounds  to  800  pounds;  and 
'^  special  donations  were  collected  for  such  poor 
whose  husbands  or  parents  were  killed  or  taken  pris- 
oners at  Fort  Montgomery."  A  part  of  Colonel  Can- 
tine's  regiment,  the  third  of  the  line,  was  from  this 
l^art  of  the  country,  but  their  names  cannot  all  be 
traced;  and  then  some  from  tliis  town  served  in  other 
regiments.  William  Woolsey  was  an  ensign  in  1778 
in  Kosweil  Hopkin's  regiments  of  Dutchess  county; 
Daniel  Woolsey  and  Henry  Woolsey  were  privates  in 
Cantine's  regiment;  John,  John  Jr.  and  Josiah 
Woolsey  were  in  Thomas's  regiment;  Nathan,  William 
and  Noah  A\'oo]sey  were  in  Hopkins's  regiment. 

John  Peck,  John  Khodes,  John  Wilson,  John  Hains, 
Andrew  Ely,  John  and  Nathaniel  Gee,  John  and  Nath- 
aniel Harcourt,  Nathaniel  Hull,  Allen  Lester,  John, 
Eichard  and  Samuel  Lewis,  Alexander,  Alexander,  Jr., 
and  CUiarles  Mackey,  George  Merritt,  Joseph  and 
James  Plumstead,  William  Purely,  Dennis  Eelyea, 
William  Scott,  Jacob,  Joseph  and  Jonathan  Terwil- 
ligar,  Michael  and  John  Wygant,  Timothy  Wood, 
Jacob  Degroot,  Jonathan  Woolsey,  John  Case,  and 
Joseph  Rhodes  are  said  to  have  served  in  the  fifth 


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Marlborough  in  the  Kevolution.  109 

regiment  of  the  line,  under  Lewis  DuBois,  and  all  are 
supposed  to  have  been  from  New  Marlborough, 

Joseph  Rhodes,  who  died  more  than  fifty  years  ago 
and  who  will  perhaps  be  remembered  by  the  older 
I)eople,  was  on  account  of  his  bravery  and  conduct, 
offered  the  appointment  of  sergeant  of  his  company. 
He  had  to  refuse  the  same  as  he  could  neither  read 
or  write.  It  was  a  source  of  much  grief  to  him  all 
his  life;  he  never  spoke  of  it  witliout  tears  in  his  eyes. 
T  have  s]3ent  much  time  in  searching  out  these  names 
and  I  am  quite  sure  there  are  many  more. 


DuBois'  Regiment. 

DuBois'  regiment,  the  fifth  of  the  line,  was  raised 
about  tliis  and  adjoining  counties.  Its  field  and  staff 
at  organization  w-in-e: 

Lewis  DuBois,  Colonel;  Jacobus  S.  Bruyn,  Lieut.  Colonel; 
Samuel  Logan,  Major;  Henry  DuBois,  Adjutant;  Albert  Pawl- 
ing, Aid-Major;  Nehemiah  Carpenter,  Qr.  Master;  Saml.  Town- 
send,  Paymaster;  John  Gano,  Cha})lain;  Samuel  Cooke,  Sur- 
geon; Ebenezer  Hutchinson,  Surgeons  Mate. 

Captains — 1.  Co.  Jacobus  Rosekrans;  2.  James  Stewart; 
3.  Amos  Hutchins;  4.  Philip  DuBois  Bevier;  5.  Thomas  Lee; 
G.  Henry  Goodwin;  7.  John  F.  Hamtraek;  8.  Jolm  Johnson. 

First  Lieutenants— 1  Co.  Henry  Dodge;  2.  Alexander  Mc- 
Arthur;  3.  Patton  Jackson;  4.  Michael  Connelly;  5.  Henry 
Pawling;  6.  Solomon  Pendelton;  7.  Francis  Hammer;  8.  Henry 
W.  Vanderberg.  Henry  Pawling  was  transferred  to  the  regi- 
ment from  Gansevort's. 

Second  Lieutenants — 1  Co.  Sanmel  Dodge;  2.  John  Burnett: 

3.    John    Furmaii;    4. ;    5.    Samuel    English: 

G.  Ebenezer  Mott :  7. ;  8.  James  Betts. 

Tlie  changes  subsequently  made  are  omitted. 

The  regiment  was  stationed  in  the  spring  of  1777 
at  Forts  Clinton,  Montgomery  and  Constitution  in 
the  Highlands,  on  garrison  duty,  and  was  there  on 


110  History  of  Marlborough. 

the  6tli  of  October,  wlien  the  forts  were  captured  by 
the  British  forces.  This  was  the  first  engagement 
which  the  regiment  experienced.  Lient.-Col.  Bruyn, 
Major  Logan,  and  Quartermaster  Carpenter,  Captain 
Goodman,  Lients.  McArthur,  Jackson,  Pauling, 
Pendleton,  Dodge,  Furman  and  Mott ;  Ensigns  Swart- 
wout,  McClaughrev  and  Legg,  and  Sergeant  Henry 
Schoonmaker,  were  taken  prisoners.  About  100  pri- 
vates were  killed,  captured  or  missing.  The  regiment 
lost  nearly  all  their  camp  equipments  and  clothing. 
DuBois  with  the  balance  of  his  men  marched  with 
Gov.  Clinton  to  Kingston  at  the  time  it  was  burned; 
in  the  winter  following  the  regiment  was  in  camp  at 
Pishkill,  and  were  in  a  very  deplorable  condition  for 
want  of  clothing,  blankets,  etc.  In  July,  1778,  the 
regiment  was  at  AVhite  Plains;  in  1779  it  was  with 
Gen.  James  Clinton  in  the  Sullivan  campaign  against 
the  Indians,  and  then  was  stationed  at  Fort  Stanwix 
in  the  Mohawk  valley  —  afterward  divided  up  with 
other  regiments. 


Capt.  Jacob  Wood's  Order. 

Newborough  13th  of  August  1777. 

A  List  of  the  Exempts  In  Capt  Wood  Company  of  militia 
with  the  Sum  they  are  IJated  Anexed  to  their  Xames. 

£  S 

Micajali  Lewis    2  8 

Nathaniel   Hull    2  0 

John  Ayres    2  8 

Jonathan   Brown    •  •            6  8 

Benjamin    AVoolsey 2  8 

Abraham  La.wsing    2  8 

John  Caverlv    3  12 

Charles  :\Laekey    1  -^ 

Peter   Delue    2  8 

Job   St.  John    1  ^ 

Johji  Young    i  8 

Jacob    Latting    1  1 


.\^sl;ss^rE^■T  ix  Capt.  Wood's   CoirpAXY. 


Marlborough   in   the  Revolution.  Ill 


Jeremiah  Smith  . 
Bichard  C'arpenter 
Obadiah  Pahner  .  , 
Benjamin  Wortli  . 
Stephen  Dugless  . 
Charles  Hiil)s  .  .  .  , 
David  Adorns  .  .  .  . 
John  Shulfihl  .  . .  , 
Elijha  Adoms  .  .  .  , 
Edward  Hallock  . 
Elijah  Hallock  .  .  , 
Charles  Mackey  .  . 
Thomas  Brown  ..  . 
Samnel  Hallock  .  . 
Abel  Adoms    


t'GG         IG 

If  any  of  the  Exempts  prefers  Stand  a  Draft  Rather  than 
pay  their  money  then  Let  them  appear  and  Draft  according  to 
Eesolve  of  Congress. 


2 

12 

3 

4 

9 

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2 

0 

1 

4 

2 

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3 

14 

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•-> 

12 

Xewmolborongh  15  of  August  1777. 

To  George  Stanton  &  John  Davis,  Sergents  you  are  hereby 
Commanded  forthwith  to  Eepair  to  Each  ot  the  within  Exempts 
and  Demand  the  Sum  anexed  to  each  mans  Xame  In  vour 
District  Wliich  Is  all  South  of  Bond  pattint 

If  any  of  the  within  Exempts  Eefusees  to  pay  the  Sum 
Demanded  you  are  to  proceed  Next  monday  morning  &  deteach 
a  guard  and  Destrain  of  ther  goods  or  Chatties  and  Deliver  the 
Same  at  my  house  at  1  oClock  In  the  afterXoon  that  may  be 
Exposed  to  sail  at  the  head  of  the  Company - 

Hereof  Fail  Not.     Given  Under  my  hand'  Jacob  Wood  Capt. 

I  desire  you  would  warn  the  men  that  was  Not  with  us  at  fort 
montgomery  to  appear  on  mcnday  at  1  oClock. 

It  is  quite  hard  to  understand  some  things  about 
this  ancient  document.  Jacob  Wood  was  the  captain, 
and  he  appears  to  have  had  quite  a  number  of  ex- 
empts, twenty-seven,  or  men  claiming  to  be  such,  in 
his  company.  From  the  names,  we  see  that  most  of 
them  were  Quakers,  and  on  principle  opposed  to  war, 
and  quite  likely  refused  to  serve  as  soldiers. 


Ill'  History  of  Marlborough. 


I  cannot  find  by  what  authority  the  captain  could 
late  and  assess  them  and  some  are  rated  much  higher 
than  the  rest.  Samuel  HalJock,  tlie  Quaker  preacher, 
must  pay  seven  pounds  eight  shillings.  Two  ser- 
geants were  s-ent  out  to  ''  Demand  the  Sum  annexed 
to  each  Name."  If  they  refused  to  pay,  the  ser- 
geants were  ordered  to  put  a  guard  over  them,  and 
to  destrain  tlieir  goods  and  deliver  them  to  the  cap- 
tain's house  "  that  they  may  be  Exposed  to  Sail  at 
tlie  head  of  the  (k:)mpany. "  This  would  look  like  a 
very  high-handed  ])iece  of  business,  to  put  a  guard 
over  a  person,  carry  his  goods  away,  turn  out  the 
company,  and  sell  the  goods  at  public  sale.  I  can 
account  for  it  in  no  other  way  except  by  martial  law, 
or  that  the  captain  of  a  company  had  almost  unlimited 
power.  If  they  did  not  want  to  "  pay  their  money  '* 
then  they  could  stand  a  draft,  under  a  resolution  of 
Congress.  The  captain  probably  got  the  money  all 
right,  as  these  people  would  pay  before  they  would 
fight.  He  also  had  other  trouble,  as  some  of  his  men 
did  not  turn  out  to  go  to  Fort  Montgomery;  for  he 
directs  his  sergeants  to  warn  the  men  that  were  not 
with  the  company  at  the  Fort  to  appear  at  his  house. 
We  are  not  told  what  for,  but  it  was  for  some  sort  of 
punishment.  The  paper  gives  the  district  to  be 
notified  as  south  of  the  Bond  patent,  so  it  was  from 
the  river  and  Sturgeon's  corner  through  to  Lattin- 
town,  though  his  company  district  was  all  the  north 
part  of  the  town. 

(/apt.  Wood  had  a  farm  and  a  dock  at  the  river, 
where  he  built  sloops,  and  carried  on  other  business. 
He  was  a  good,  loyal  man,  deserved  well  from  his 
country,  and  did  much  good  in  the  cause.  He  was 
one  of  the  chief  men  in  the  town  in  his  time;  I  find 
his  name  in  many  places. 


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Marlborough  in  the  Revolution.  113 


Captain  Jacob  Wood  Vindicated. 

Fort  Montgomery  31  May  177 7 
A  court  of  inquiry  by  Gen.  George  Clinton  whereof  Lieut. 
Col.  McCloughry  is  President. 

Present  Members. 
Major  Houghteling  Lieut.  Johnson 

Capt.  De  AVitt  "       Vaneer 

"      Falkner  '     "       Eosencrance 

"      Hardenburgh  "       Monnell 

"      Tilford  "       Moffat 

Lieut.  Hunter  "       Hardenl)urgh 

(.'apt.  Conklin  Judge  Advocate. 

The  memljers  being  Duly  Sworn  also  the  President.  Capt. 
Jacol)  Wood  being  Brought  before  the  Court  and  Charg'd  by 
Elijah  Lewis  for  Disobeying  Orders  and  Particularly  in  Draft- 
ing his  Qato  of  men  for  the  Present  Service.  After  the  Alliga- 
tions and  Evidence  it  Appears  to  the  Court  that  Capt.  Jacob 
Wood  has  been  Maliciously  and  Wrongly  Us*d  and  that  he  has 
Discharged  his  Duties  as  a  good  and  faithful  Officer  agreeable 
to  his   Orders. 

JAMES  McCLAGHRY,  Lieut.  Col. 

President. 


(tener.^l  Vaughn's  Expedition  up  the  River. 
On  the  night  of  October  6,  1777,  Forts  Clinton  and 
Montgomery  had  been  taken,  and  some  soldiers  of 
this  town  had  been  killed,  some  wounded  and  some 
taken  prisoners.  The  chain  and  boom  across  the 
river  at  West  Point,  having  been  destroyed,  the  river 
was  open  for  the  possession  of  the  enemy,  and  it  was 
thought  by  them  that  some  assistance  might  be  ren- 
dered to  Burgoyne,  who  was  surrounded  at  Saratoga 
by  the  American  troops,  or  that  a  diversion  might  be 
made  in  liis  favor;  so,  preparatory  to  the  expedition, 
Gen.  Vaughn,  on  the  11th  of  October,  sent  Sir  James 
Wallace  uj)  from  the  Highlands  with  a  galley,  a 
schooner  and  three  other  vessels  to  reconnoitre  the 
river,  and  they  proceeded  up  as  far  as  the  Smith  mills 


114  History  of  Marlborough. 

at  Milton,  and  then  returned,  having  burned  Van 
Buren's  milJs  and  several  other  buildings  on  the  other 
side  of  the  river  and  some  old  vessels  along  shore, 
that  could  not  get  out  of  the  way.  On  the  14th,  the 
British  fleet,  consisting  of  several  armed  vessels, 
twenty  galleys  and  flatboats  and  about  1,600  men  left 
Peekskill  and  sailed  up  the  river,  and  though  the  peo- 
ple -expected  something  to  happen,  they  were  hardly 
prepared  to  see  so  large  a  fleet  with  cannon  and 
armed  men.  The  vessels  passed  here  on  the  morning 
of  the  15th  and  dropped  anchor  a  few  miles  south  of 
Kingston  in  the  afternoon  which  they  burned  the  next 
day.  They  went  as  far  north  as  Saugerties,  and  re- 
turning, passed  here  on  the  evening  of  the  19tli. 
During  this  time  between  the  time  tliey  went  up  and 
returned  the  people  here  were  very  much  worried  and 
troubled,  and  great  fear  was  entertained  that  the 
troops  might  land  and  plunder  and  destroy  property. 

Captain  C^ase  was  out  with  his  com})any  patrolling 
the  shore  and  watching  their  movements.  The  Com- 
mittee of  Safety  were  on  the  alert,  but  they  had  no 
means  of  defense;  they  advised  the  people  to  take 
their  property  and  move  Imck  into  the  country,  which 
many  did,  taking  their  families,  their  stock  and  valu- 
ables with  them;  and  they  hid  and  buried  much  of 
their  property  in  the  woods.  To  add  to  the  terror, 
many  shots  were  fired  from  the  vessels  on  their  way 
up  at  the  DuBois  house  at  Marlborough,  now  owned 
by  John  Rusk,  and  at  the  Anning  Smith  house  at 
Milton,  now  owned  by  Anning  Smith,  the  great- 
grandson. 

These  places  were  said  to  have  been  pointed  out  l^y 
the  tories  on  the  vessels  as  being  owned  l)y  promi- 
nent rebels.  The  houses  were  not  struck,  but  solid 
shot  has  been  picked  up  around  them  sinc-e. 


Marlborough  in  the  Kevolution.  115 


Some  of  the  more  venturesome  watcliecl  the  prog- 
ress of  the  fleet  from  sheltered  points  about  the  shore. 
News  soon  spread  that  Kingston  was  burned  and  the 
fleet  returning;  then  the  terror  and  confusion  knew 
no  bounds.  The  people  here  were  sure  they  were  to 
be  the  next  victims;  there  was  very  little  sleep  on  the 
nights  of  the  IStli  and  19th ;  people  were  riding  about 
on  horseback;  teams  were  hitched  up,  goods  being 
packed  and  loaded,  but  during  the  night  of  the  19th, 
news  came  that  the  vessels  were  passing  down  the 
river  without  any  indication  of  stopping.  The  next 
few  days  were  busy  times  for  the  people,  moving  back 
and  getting  to  rights.  They  could  well  be  pardoned 
for  their  fear;  there  was  defeat  and  destruction  all 
about  them.  Some  of  their  relatives  and  neighbors 
had  been  killed  and  some  wounded;  and  they  were 
entirely  helpless  and  unprotected. 

It  has  always  been  claimed  about  here  that  certain 
tories  of  this  place  were  with  the  British  and  assisted 
them  to  pilot  up  the  river;  this  tradition  has  been 
handed  down  from  one  generation  to  another,  but  there 
is  nothing  authentic  about  it.  There  are  other  tradi- 
tions al)out  this  expedition,  Init  they  are  not  known 
to  be  correct.  We  can  easily  imagine  what  a  relief  it 
must  have  been  to  the  people  when  the  last  ship  dis- 
appeared down  the  river.  No  part  of  the  town  was 
ever  invaded  by  the  -enemy ;  the  nearest  they  ever  got 
were  at  the  places  above  mentioned. 

When  Brant  and  his  Indians  massacred  the  soldiers 
who  went  out  from  Goshen  to  meet  him  at  Minesink 
on  the  Delaware,  there  was  another  scare,  but  it  soon 
subsided,  as  Brant  got  no  farther. 

Yet  still  our  ancestors  had  their  troubles;  there 
was  war  and  rumors  of  war  all  the  time;  they  were 
taxed  to  the  limit;  their  property  pressed  into  the 
service,  and  many  of  their  men  were  in  the  service  of 
the   country   and  much   of   their   lands   uncultivated. 


IIG  History  of  Marlborough. 


Yet  they  were  true  and  loyal  to  the  cause  and  their 
rejoicing  Avas  great  at  the  favorable  termination  of 
the  war  when  it  came. 

Before  General  Vaughn's  expedition  passed  here 
on  its  return,  it  had  become  known  about  the  town 
that  General  Burgoyne  had  surrendered  his  army  at 
Saratoga ;  and  the  fear  of  the  people  that  they  might 
have  trouble  from  tlie  enemy  was  soon  followed  by 
rejoicing  at  the  surrender  of  the  northern  army.  The 
news  was  proclaimed  far  and  near,  and  people  flocked 
to  Lattintown  from  miles  back  in  the  country.  The 
rejoicing  and  celebration  was  kept  up  until  there  was 
nothing  left  at  Lattintown  to  drink  except  water. 

The  defeats  at  Forts  Montgomery  and  Clinton  and 
the  burning  of  Kingston  were  soon  followed  by  the 
surrender  to  the  Americans  of  the  great  English  army 
with  all  its  equipments,  wdiich  was  considered  by 
many  of  our  devout  people  as  a  special  interposition 
of  Divine  Providence.  Many  were  the  prayers  of 
thanksgiving  and  ])raise  that  ascended  to  Heaven 
from  a  grateful  people  on  this  occasion. 


Lieutenant    Eose    Cashiered    for    Insubordination. 

At  a  General  Court  Martial  held  at  the  House  of  Widow 
Hills  near  Good  Will  Meeting  House  Ulster  County  on  Friday 
21  Feb.  1777. 

Present  Col.  Woodhull  President. 
Col.   Snyder  Maj.  Wynkoop 

Lieut.  Col.  Jansen  Capt.  Salsbury 

Maj.  Jansen  Capt.  Yancuren 

Maj.  Cantine  Capt.  Galespie 

Maj.  Popno  Capt.  McBride 

Maj.  Philips  v 

Came  on  for  Tryal  of  Lieut.  Jacobus  Eose  of  Capt.  Has- 
brouck's  Co.,  Col.  Paulmer's  Eeg't  of  Ulster  County,  who  Stands 
Charged  before  the  Court  of  Eefusing  to  obey  the  orders  of  a 
Superior  officer,  when  ordered  to  detach  by  Ballot  the  Quoto  of 
Men  of  his  Com'y  for  Service  on  23  Scp'r  Last  and  also  disobey- 
ing: at  other  times. 


Marlborough  in  the  Eevolution.  117 


To  which  Charge  the  said  Lieut.  Rose  pleads  guilty  and 
further  declares  in  the  presence  of  this  Court  that  he  will  not 
obey  the  order  of  drafting  men  by  Ballot  in  future. 

Capt.  IIasl)rouck  Deposed  and  said  That  Lieut.  Eose  never 
appeared  to  liini  to  be  unfriendly,  luit  his  General  Character 
is  Eather  unfriendly  to  the  States  that  he  Commonly  associates 
himself  with  those  People  that  is  Disaffected  and  suspected  of 
being  Eeally  friends  *  *  *  Maj.  John  Cantine  deposed  That 
sometime  in  Sept.  Last  Lieut.  Jacobus  Eose  *  *  *  was 
ordered  by  this  deponant,  agreeable  to  a  Eesolution  of  the  Con- 
vention of  this  State  to  detach  Six  men  by  Ballot  being  the 
Quote  of  the  Company  he  then  Commanded.  But  absolutely 
Eefused  to  do  so  though  several  times  requested  l)y  this  Depon- 
ant, also  Eefused  to  Eaise  his  Quote  another  time,  notwith- 
standing this  deponant  held  out  to  him  under  what  sollemn 
Trust  of  Honour  and  Eeligion,  he  had  oldigated  himself  to 
obey  his  su])erior  officers  at  the  time  he  Eeceived  his  Com- 
mission.    *     *     * 

The  Court  taking  into  Consideration  the  Case  of  Lieut.  Eose 
*  *  *  and  from  liis  Confession  together  Avith  the  Evidence 
do  find  him  guilty  of  the  within  charge  and  Adjudge  him  the 
said  Lieut.  Eose  to  l)e  CUishired,  and  to  pay  a  Fine  of  Thirty 
pounds  and  also  1)0  Eendered  Incapal)le  of  ever  bearing  a 
Commission  again  in  this  State. 

The  "Within  is  the  Proceedings  of  the  Tryal  of  Lieut.  Eose. 

Attest. 

JESSE  AVOODHULL.  President. 

JoHX  Hatiiorx 

Judffe  Advocate 


NeW'    Marlboeougii  •  2G   April,   1T77. 

Taken  up  by  Lieut.  Potter  and  brought  before  the  Committee 
of  'New  ]\rarlborough,  Samuel  Towndson  Depositions  of  El)en- 
ezer  St.  John  and  Andrew  Ayres,  ^Against  Samuel  Towndson. 

Appeared  before  this  Committee  Ebenezer  St.  John,  and  made 
oath  that  he  heard  the  said  Samuel  Towndson  say  that  after 
being  warned  he  Did  not  Care  for  their  Orders,  and  would  not 
be  Eunning  after  tlieir  Damned  Nonsense.  He  was  asked  if  he 
was  not  willing  to  obey  Orders,  and  he  Swore  he  would  not, 
and  Eode  Eound  Mr.  Freyer  that  was  Discoursing  with  him 
in  a  way  of  Eidicule,  and  asked  the  said  Freyer  if  he  was  not 
ashamed  of  going  upon  Such  a  Foolish  Errand,  as  he  had  been 
to    alarm    iho    Colonics    and    inhal)itants    of    Concerning    those 


118  History  of  Marlboitough. 


Tories  now  gone  off.  He  said  if  lie  had  alarmed  five  hundred 
he  wouhl  not  be  al)le  to  take  them.  Andrew  Ayres  standing 
by  tokf  the  said  Towndson  that  he  would  take  them  with  twenty- 
five  men  if  he  could  come  at  them,  and  said  Towndson  told 
Ayres  that  he  might  take  twenty-five  of  the  ))est  of  his  Damned 
AVigs  and  he  would  bring  twenty-five  men  that  should  meet 
liim  u])on  Lattig  Town  ])lain  and  fight  it  out  witl)  him.  and 
insisted  upon  Ayres  Entering  into  l)onds  to  meet  him.  which 
Ayres  did  not  choose  to  do.  And  further  this  Deponant  Saith 
not. 

EBEXEZEPt  ST.  JOHX 

Personally  appeared  before  this  Committee,  Andrew  Ayres, 
and  made  oath  and  Saieth  that  he  was  discoursing 
with  ]\lr.  Preyer  Concerning  the  Toryes,  Shooting  Jonathan 
Terwillegar,  and  taking  the  said  Preyer's  Brother.  The  said 
Towndson  being  present,  was  asked  by  Preyer  why  he  did  not 
come  to  assist  to  take  them.  He  told  him  he  was  warned  to 
appear  but  not  when  nor  he  did  not  care  when.  Tlie  said 
Towndson  demanded  of  Preyer  where  he  had  l)een  and  he  said 
Towndson  told  him  he  had  been  to  Alarm  the  County  and  he 
said  five  hundred  would  not  take  them. 

The  said  Ayres  told  him  that  he  would  engage  to  l)e  one  of 
the  twenty-five  that  would  take  them.  The  said  Towndson  said 
he  might  take  twenty-five  of  the  Ijest  of  his  Wigs,  and  he  would 
take  as  many  Tories  and  meet  him  on  the  Plain  at  Latting 
Town  and  Pight  it  out  for  which  he  offered  to  Stake  money  or 
draw  Bonds  for  Pifty  Pounds,  and  further  Saith  not. 

ANDREW  AlERS. 


It  would  appear  from  the  above  proceedings  that 
tories  were  being  enlisted  into  the  service  of  the 
English,  that  the  town  committee  had  issued  orders 
for  the  peoi)le  to  turn  out  to  intercept  them,  that 
Freyer  had  been  riding  around  notifying,  and  that 
Towndson  after  having  been  notified  to  turn  out,  had 
refused  to  do  so,  and  that  together  with  his  conduct 
afterward  had  prompted  the  committee  to  order  Lieut. 
Potter  to  arrest  liim  and  bring  him  before  the  com- 
mittee; and  it  would  appear  from  the  following  peti- 


Marlborough  in  the  Revolution.  Hi) 

tion  wliich  Towiidson  makes,  that  the  committee  hehl 
and  imprisoned  him. 


Petition  of  Samuel  Townsend. 

To  the  Honorable  the  Council  of  Safety  for  the  State  of 
New  York  in  Conncil  convened. 

The  Petition  of  Samuel  Townsend  of  Xew  Marlborough 
precinct  and  State  of  New  York  Contined  on  Board  the  vessel 
at  the  strand  of  Kingston  for  being  thought  an  enemy  of  this 
State  Hunil)ly  showeth,  That  ye  petitioner  some  time  ago 
being  intoxicated  in  Liquor  inadvertantly  fell  into  company 
with  a  person,  and  jockingly  said  to  him  that  he  inight  l)ring 
five  and  twenty  Damd  Wigs  against  five  and  twenty  Tories 
and  that  the  Tories  would  beat  them  there  on  the  plain  where 
they  then  was  (at  a  place  called  Lating  Town)  for  which  a 
Complaint  was  entered  to  the  Committee  of  New  ^Iarll)orough 
and  ye  petitioner  was  committed  to  gaol  for  the  same.  That 
ye  petitioner  is  sensible  that  what  he  said  and  did  he  ought  not 
to  have  done  and  is  very  sorry  for  the  same  and  he  should  not 
have  acted  in  that  manner  had  he  lieen  in  his  sober  hours 
*     *     *     May  15,  17?  7. 

SAMUEL  TOWXSEND. 

Townsend  was  tried  on  April  26;  on  April  30,  he 
making  the  following  petition: 

To  the  Honral)le  the  Eepresentatives  of  the  State  of  New 
York  In  Convention  Assembled. 

The  Petition  of  Samuel  Townsend  Humblv  Sheweth 
That  yr  petitioner  is  at  present  Confined  in  the  Common 
Gaol  of  Kingston  for  Being  thought  unfriendly  to  the  American 
States  That  yr  petitioner  some  few  Days  ago  went  from  Home 
upon  some  Business  &  happened  to  Gett  a  Little  Intoxicated  in 
Liquor,  .and  upon  his  Peturn  home.  Inadvertantly  fell  in  Com- 
pany upon  the  Poad  with  a  ])erson  unknown  to  yr  petitioner 
&  Discoursing  and  Joking  about  the  Torries  passing  through 
there  &  Esca))ing  this  ])erson  says  to  yr  petitioner  that  if  he  had 
been  with  tlie  wigs  tliey  shouhl  not  have  Escaped  so,  Inadver- 
tantly and  by  way  of  Boasting,  that  he  would  have  Done  Great 
Feets  as  a  Tory  coiihl  not  look  a  whig  in  the  face,  to  which 
your  petitioner  being  nici'iy  and  in  Liiiuor.  WantonJy  and  in  a 
Bantering   manner  tohl    bini    that    in   the   Lane   throu<>-h   which 


120  History  of  Marlborough. 


they  were  then  Riding  five  &  twenty  wigs  would  not  Beat  five 
&  twenty  Torries  &  Joking  togather  tliey  ])avted  &  yr  petitioner 
tliought  no  more  of  it,  since  he  lias  Been  taken  np  and  (^onfined, 
as  lie  supposes  on  the  above  joke. 

Being  concouss  to  himself  of  iiis  not  committing  any  Crime 
or  of  being  unfriendly  to  the  American  Cause  worthy  of  punish- 
ment    *     '^     * 

That  yr  petitioner  is  Extremely  sorry  for  what  he  may  have 
said  and  hopes  his  Intoxication  &  Looseness  of  his  Tongue  will 
Be  forgiven  by  this  Honorable  C*onvention  as  it  would  not  have 
been  expressed  by  him  in  his  sober  Hours:  That  yr  petitioner 
has  a  wife  and  two  Children  and  a  hel]dess  mother  all  which 
must  Be  supported  by  his  Laliour  &  should  he  be  kept  confined 
in  tbis  time  his  family  must  unadvoidably  sufTer  through  want 
as  yr  ])etitioner  is  but  of  Indigint  Circumstances  and  fully 
conceives  it  is  Extremely  hard  to  keep  him  confined  to  the  Great 
Distress  of  his  family  as  well  as  Grief  of  yr  petitioner.  Yr 
petitioner  therefore  humldy  prays  that  this  Honorable  Con- 
vention would  Be  favorably  pleased  to  take  the  premises  under 
their  serious  consideration  so  as  that  yr  petitioner  may  be 
relieved  and  Discharged  from  his  Confinement  or  such  Belief 
as  to  the  Honorable  House  shall  seem  meet  and  yr  ])('titioner 
will  ever  pray. 

Kingston  Gaol  April  'M)  ITT 7. 

sA:\rrEL  towxsexd. 

From  this  i)etitioii  it  would  appear  Townsend  got 
into  jail  very  soon  after  his  arrest,  and  he  was  not 
suited  with  his  conditions.  It  is  somewhat  similar  to 
his  other  petition  made  afterward  and  most  likely  for 
the  same  offense,  and  if  this  he  so,  it  would  indicate 
that  tlve  tories  at  this  time  went  through  Lattintown 
and  escaped.  It  was  probal)ly  the  same,  transaction. 
It  is  hard  to  reconcile  all  the  facts  and  the  reader 
must  judge  for  himself,  as  I  give  all  I  have. 


Petition   of   Elizabeth   "\Vigc4INS. 

To  the  Honoral)le  the  C*onvention  of  the  State  of  Xew  York. 

The  Petition  of  Elizabeth  Wiggins  Humbly  Showeth  That 
notwithstanding  Stejihen  Wiggins  The  Husband  of  yr  Petitioner 
is  supposed  to  he  with  the  Ministerial  Army  which  in  Fact  may 


Marlboeough  in  the  Kevolution.  121 


be  the  Case  vet  the  seizing  of  the  whole  of  his  Personal  Prop- 
erty which  in  Fact  is  all  the  Estate  he  conld  call  his  own  as 
matters  stands  Truly  Circumstances  in  a  more  common  Hard- 
ship on  your  Petitioner,  as  your  Petitioner  is  able  to  prove  by 
good  Authority  that  her  Husband  went  off  Intentionally  against 
her  will  and  advice,  That  her  two  sons  Remain  at  home  with  her 
Disapproved  much  of  their  Fathers  going  off,  also  as  they  are  of 
age  have  from  time  to  time  when  called  upon  Cheerfully  done 
their  duty  in  the  Militia.  *  *  *  Yr  Petitioner  is  a  poor 
woman  with  a  large  family  of  small  Children  and  can  now 
Barely  support  them,  with  the  help  of  her  sons  and  what  little 
Stock  of  Cattle  she  had,  which  stock  is  now  seized  by  order 
of  your  Honorable  House  *  *  *  Your  Petitioner  therefore 
Immbly  prays  that  your  Honorable  House  will  l)e  pleased  to 
take  the  Case  of  your  Poor  distressed  Petitioner  as  al)ove 
Petition  into  consideration  as  well  as  the  care  of  her  two  sons, 
and  allow  them  the  use  of  the  whole,  or  at  least  a  part  of  the 
Estate  so  seized  and  give  orders  to  the  gentlemen  appointed 
to  make  Sale  thereof  accordingly.  But  in  case  you  shall  think 
Proper  Notwithstanding  to  continue  the  Sale  your  Petitioner 
most  earnestly  prays  that  she  may  be  allowed  the  use  of  one  cow, 
and  her  riding  mare  which  she  purchased  since  her  Husband's 
Absence,  and  Prays  that  in  C*ase  the  Property  is  Sold  that  her 
Sons  may  be  discharged  from  Militia  Duty  as  she  will  then  have 
no  other  Dependance  than  the  daily  Labor  of  said  sons  for  the 
support  of  herself  and  large  familv     *     *     * 

April  24  1777  ELIZABETH   WIGGIXS 

P.  S.  We  the  subscribers  being  Perfectly  acquainted  with  the 
above  Petitioner  and  think  it  highly  reasonable  that  the  Hon- 
orable Convention  be  pleased  to  grant  the  prayer  of  the  above 
]'etitioner. 

Witness  our  hands  the  date  above 

LEWIS  DUBOIS,  Major 
STEPHEN   CASE   Captain 
JACOB  WOOD  Captain 

This  is  easily  understood.  Wiggins  had  left  his  family 
and  gone  off  and  enlisted  with  the  enemy.  His  prop- 
erty had  been  seized  by  the  Commissioners  of  Con- 
fiscation, and  his  wife  was  making  this  strong  appeal 
to  the  highest  State  authority;  it  is  an  earnest  and 
eloquent  appeal  and  shows  the  great  distress  under 
which  she  labored.    Our  officers  here,  DuBois  and  the 


122  History  of  Marlborough. 


rest,  indorsed  the  petition  and  tried  to  help  her.  I  do 
not  find  the  result,  but  it  is  quite  likaly  she  got  the 
])roi)erty. 


Lewis  DuBois'  Court  Martial. 

At  A  General  Court  ^lartial  held  at  Fort  ^Montgomery  A))ril 
30,  1T7T,  Agreeal)le  lo  the  Orders  of  his  Honor  Brigadier 
General  George  Clinton,  dated  the  said  oO  Day  of  April,  for 
ihe  trial  of  all  such  Persons,  as  shall  come  before  them,  charged 
^vith  Leveying  War  against  the  State  of  Xew  York  within  the 
same,  adhering  to  the  King  of  Great  Britten,  enlisting  Soldiers 
and  being  enlisted  as  a  Soldier  in  the  Service  of  the  King  of 
Great  Britten,  and  owing  Allegiance  or  deriving  protection  from 
the  Laws  of  the  State  of  Xew  York. 

Present  (\)1.  DnBois  President. 
Capt.  Eosecrans  ('apt.  Gonklin 

Stewart  Milligan 

Lee  "Wincura 

Bevier  McBride 

Goodwin  Dewitt 

Nieoll  Schoomaker 

Tilford  Lieut.  Post 

Hardenl)ergh  "       Hunter 

Hasljronck 

('a])tain  Lnsk  as  Judge  Advocate. 
After  several  other  cases  had  l)een  taken  nji.  Jacobus  Rose 
was  Iii'ougiit  the  court.  He  plead  "  Guilty  "  to  the  1,  2  &  -i 
charges,  to  the  -h]  "  Xot  Guilty."  and  confessed:  ""That  one 
David  j\k-Given  a  ('a])t.  in  Gol.  Faning's  Pegimcnt  told  him  that 
every  man  wlio  enlisted  in  the  King's  Service  should  have  100 
acres  of  land  and  each  of  his  children  should  have  50.  and  five 
pounds  bounty  and  Pay  from  the  time  of  enlistment  to  the 
Discharge  *  *  *  .  That  he  told  the  ^len  he  engaged  to 
enlist  tliat  Gol.  Fanning  told  him  that  they  had  only  their 
Government  to  Glear,  That  Gov.  Tryon  was  to  be  their  General. 
That  lie  (pose)  gave  orders  to  his  men  to  load  their  guns  and 
Defend  themselves  if  necessary.  That  the  second  Time  he  went 
to  Xew  York  he  carried  IT  men  with  him  *  *  *  That  he  had 
33  or  34  men  with  him  at  this  time.  That  he  left  Xew  York 
about  20  davs  a 2:0. 


Maklbokough  in  the  Revolution.  123 

"  Arthur  ]\IeKinnev  being  l)roiight  before  the  court  charged 
holding  1st  correspondence  with  and  giving  Intelligence  to  the 
Enemy,  2d  giving  them  aid  and  comfort ''  to  both  of  which  lie 
pleads  '' Xot  Guilty."" 

"  The  Prisoner  l)eing  examined  says  that  some  time  Saturday 
Xight  last  Eose  and  his  Party  came  to  his  farm,  that  he  (the 
Prisoner)  gave  them  food,  and  that  his  wench  informed  Eose 
that  the  ^lelitia  were  in  pursuit  of  them  and  that  he  (the 
Prisoner)  afraid  that  Eose  or  his  Party  would  Burn  his  Barn  if 
he  (the  Prisoner)  discovered  them,  and  that  Eose  Begged  him 
not  to  Discover  them  which  he  Did  not  Do  *  *  *  That  he 
knew  Eose  to  be  an  othcer  and  if  he  (Hose)  should  be  taken 
would  be  Hanged  and  (he  the  prisoner)  said  he  Did  not  like  to 
have  Eose's  Blood  on  his  hands  but  further  Says  he  was  inno- 
cent of  their  coming. 

Isaac  Lockwood  was  In'ought  before  the  C*ourt  (Miai'ged  with  a 
Crime  for  attempting  to  Join  the  Enemy,  Pleads  Xot  Guilty. 

The  Prisoner  Ijeing  p]xamined  says  that  he  (the  Prisoner)  was 
persuaded  by  Silas  Gardiner  to  go  to  Xew  York.     *     *     * 

Silas  Gardiner  charged  with  Levying  War  against  the  United 
States  of  America  for  holding  Correspondence  and  aiding 
and  Assisting  the  Enemies  of  the  said  States  Pleads  not 
'Guilty.     *     *     * 

Many  cases  were  tried  by  this  court  martial.  Gen- 
eral Clinton  on  the  30th  day  of  April,  1777,  issned  an 
order  convening  the  court.  On  the  same  day  in  the 
morning  the  court  met  and  the  proceedings  of  the 
court  say: 

The  Court  having  Sat  till  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  the 
Guard  house  crowded  with  Prisoners  and  the  court  resolved  that 
an  immediate  Exami)le  was  necessary  and  requisite  to  deter 
intestine  Enemys  from  continuing  Treasonalde  Practices  against 
the  State,  and  it  being  also  prol)al)le  that  this  Post  would  soon 
be  beseiged  l)y  the  enemy.  The  court  adjourned  until  5  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon.  It  then  resumed  and  continued  until  a  lojig 
time  in  the  night.  The  court  was  continued  the  next  day,  and, 
in  these  two  days,  fourteen  men  were  adjudged  to  suffer  the 
"Pains  and  Penalties  of  Dealb.  by  l)eing  lianged  l)y  the  neck 
until  thev  are  dead." 


124  History  of  Marlborough. 

Others  were  sentenced  to  different  terms  of  im- 
prisonment, some  discharged.  "  Isaac  Lockwood  was 
sentenced  to  be  Confined  in  a  Common  Goal  During 
the  Present  War  with  the  King  of  Great  Britten  or 
Until  he  shall  be  Released  l)y  i)roper  Antliority.'" 
This  was  a  most  remarkable  court  martial.  It  sur- 
passes in  the  amount  of  work  done,  large  numl)er  of 
people  tried  and  the  number  of  men  sentenced  to 
death,  any  court  martial  during  the  Revolution.  In 
fact  its  equal  cannot  he  found  at  any  time  in  the 
annals  of  this  country.  Such  sunnnary  trial  and  pro- 
ceedings have  never  been  heard  even  in  Russia. 

DuBois  must  have  been  a  man  of  much  decision  of 
character  and  firmness,  and  not  to  be  turned  from  his 
duty  by  any  sentiments  of  sym})athy  and  mercy.  The 
facts  and  evidence  were  very  strong  against  these 
men.  Some  of  them  had  been  captured  with  arms  in 
tlieir  hands  and  they  had  made  armed  resistance. 
They  were  marching  through  the  country  armed  and 
equipped  with  the  intention  of  joining  the  English 
troops  at  New  York  city.  Men  from  all  over  the  State 
had  already  joined  the  enemy,  and  it  had  become 
necessary  in  order  to  deter  enlistments  in  the  British 
army,  that  summary  and  stern  measures  should  be 
made  to  prevent  such  enlistments.  It  was  demoraliz- 
ing patriots  in  the  field,  and  it  was  discouraging  to 
the  people  who  were  trying  to  maintain  the  war 
against  the  invaders.  The  men  who  constituted  this 
court  martial  were  good  and  true  men,  and  undoubt- 
edly did  their  duty  as  they  understood  it.  Most  oil 
them  afterward  1)ecame  prominent  in  the  communities 
in  which  they  lived,  and  many  of  them  afterward  held 
positions  of  honor  and  trust  in  the  State.  Some  of 
the  best  families  in  this  county  and  State  are  de- 
scended from  these  men. 

In  the  courts  of  law  of  this  State,  and  the  other 
States  it  has  sometimes  taken  weeks  to  convict  a  man 


Marlborough  in  the  Eevolution.  125 


■of  murder  even  when  it  was  known  from  the  begin- 
ning that  he  was  guilty,  but  this  court  was  not  dis- 
posed to  spend  much  time  and  sympathy  upon  men 
whom  they  considered  and  knew  to  be  guilty  from  the 
start.  This  court  martial  must  have  had  a  very 
salutary  effect,  as  very  little  was  heard  of  the  tories 
about  this  county  after  this. 


No  Consideration  to  be  Shown  Traitors. 

Gen.  Cliutou  bisisis  tliat  examples  he  made  of  them 
to  deter  otliers  from.  foUowiug  tlieir  examples. 


Fort  Montgomery  2d  ]\Iay  1TT7. 
Dear  Sir^ 

Inclosed  I  tran^^mit  to  the  Honoral)lo  the  Convention  the 
Proceedings  of  a  General  Conrt  Martial  at  this  Post  for  the 
Tryal  of  Jacobus  Eose  and  sundry  other  Persons  charged  with 
Treason  against  the  "State.  The  Conduct  of  many  of  these 
Traitors  are  so  daring  and  Insolent  that  a  sudden  and  severe 
Example  to  me  seems  absolutely  necessary  to  deter  others  from 
the  commission  of  like  Crimes  and  I  am  persuaded  to  suffer 
these  to  escape  with  impunity  would  be  Cruelty  in  the  End. 
There  are  many  others  yet  untried  for  want  of  evidence  in  the 
Guard  House  liere  which  occasion  double  guards  and  greatly 
adds  to  the  Fatigue  of  the  Soldiery  already  overburdened  with 
th(^  Works  necessary  for  the  Defence  of  the  Post. 

These  reasons  and  the  Trouble  they  would  necessarily  be  to 
us  in  Case  of  an  Attack  induces  me  to  wish  a  speedy -Answer 
from  the  Convention.  The  Inhabitants  are  so  much  iritated 
by  the  Conduct  of  the  Prisoners  in  marching  armed  m  a  Body 
to  join  the  Enemy  that  I  fear  they  will  soon  take  the  Law  in 
their  own  hands  against  them     *     *     * 

You  will  observe  that  Gardiner  &  some  others  of  the  Prison- 
ers were  not  of  Pose's  party  &  that  Gardiner  pleads  in  his  De- 
fence a  Certificate  of  his  having  taken  the  Oath  of  x\llegiance 
before  the  Commissioners  for  detecting  Conspiricies  since  the 
Commissions  of  his  Crimes  which  the  Court  however  concluded 
was  obtained  artfully  &  through  misinformation  &  indeed  that 
it  was  out  of  the  Line  of  the  Commissioners'  dutv     *     *     * 


126'  History  of  Marlborough. 


You  observe  by  the  Examination  of  Rose  &  his  Party  sundry 
of  them  left  him  went  Home  &  are  not  yet  taken  wlio  oiiglit 
to  be  immediately  apprehended. 

I  am  with  due  Respect  vour  Obed't  Serv't 

GEO.  CLIXTOX. 
To  President  of  Convention. 


General  Clinton  about  the   Tories. 

Fort  ^Montgomery  4th  May  1777. 
Dear  Sir, 

Indorsed  I  send  3'ou  a  List  (List  not  found)  of  the  Traitors 
who  were  going  to  Join  our  Country's  Enemies  in  Xew  York, 
under  the  Directions  of  Jacobus  Rose  together  with  a  List  of 
the  Xames  of  Persons  who  have  knowingly  assisted  &  abetted 
them.  On  the  list  I  have  noted  such  as  we  have  taken,  the 
others  are  yet  missing  and  as  I  have  Reason  to  believe  that  not 
more  than  five  were  killed  the  Rest  must  yet  be  hiding  about 
the  country  and  it  is  essential  to  the  Internal  Peace  &  Safety 
of  the  Country  that  this  wicked  Banditte  should  be  entirely 
broken  up.  I  think  too  much  Pains  can  not  be  taken  to  appre- 
hend or  destroy  them.    I  have  parties  out  after  them     *     *     *^ 

Your  M'st  Obd't  Serv't 

GEORGE  CLIXTOX. 
To  the  Hon.  President  of  the  Convention 

of  the  State  of  Xew  York. 


Jacobus  Eose. 
I  find  that  the  Tories  who  got  some  of  the  people  in 
these  troubles  were  Jacobus  Eose  and  his  men.  It 
appears  that  he  was  engaged  in  recruiting  men  in  this 
and  adjoining  towns  for  enlistment  in  the  British 
amiy  at  New  York  city.  It  appears  by  his  confes- 
sion, that  he  had  taken  seventeen  men  to  New  Y'ork 
city  at  one  time,  and  the  next  time  he  took  thirty-three 
or  thirty-four  men.  This  was  during  the  time  that 
Freyer  had  been  to  warn  the  colonies  and  inhabi- 
tants, and  Townsend  had  refused  to  turn  out  to  assist 


Marlborough  in  the  Eeyolution.  127 

to  take  them.  I  find  that  he  took  his  men  to  Arthur 
McKinney's  one  night  and  quartered  them  in  his 
barn,  and  made  the  people  get  victuals  for  them. 
McKinney  was  arrested  on  account  thereof  and  was 
charged  with  holding  correspondence  with  and  giving 
intelligence  to  the  enemy  and  giving  them  aid  and 
comfort.  He  was  brought  before  the  committee  and 
sent  for  trial  before  a  court  martial  at  Fort  Mont- 
gomery, of  which  Col.  Lewis  DuBois  was  president, 
and  was  convicted  and  imprisoned.  Rose  went 
through  Lattintown  with  his  men  and  got  them  safely 
to  the  English  army;  but  it  appears  that  the  next 
time  he  tried  it  he  was  arrested  with  his  men  and 
taken  before  the  court  martial  at  Fort  Montgomery 
for  trial,  April  30,  1777.  He  was  charged  first,  with 
levjdng  war  against  the  State  of  New  York;  second, 
with  adhering  to  the  King  of  Great  Britain;  third, 
with  -enlisting  men  in  the  service  of  the  King,  and 
fourth,  with  being  enlisted  in  the  service  himself..  He 
pleaded  not  guilty  to  the  third  charge  of  enlisting-^ 
men.  He  was  convicted  and  sentenced  "  to  be  hanged 
by  the  neck  until  he  was  dead."  He  made  the  follow- 
ing petition. 

Petition  of  Jacobus  Eose  and  Jacob  Middagh,  To  the  Hon- 
orable the  Committee  of  the  State  of  New  York,  The  Humble- 
Petition  of  two  unhappy  Prisoners  now  by  order  of  your  House 
under  sentence  to  be  hanged  this  Day  Most  Humbly  Showeth 
That  although  their  conscience  dotli  not  in  the  least  accuse  tliem 
of  being  guilty  of  any  sin  against  God  or  their  country  by 
doing  what  they  are  condemned  to  suffer  Death  for,  yet  your- 
Petitioners  are  heartily  sorry  for  having  incurred  the  Dis- 
pleasure of  your  House  in  so  sensible  a  manner.  That  as  sinful 
men,  it  is  an  awful  and  Dreadful  thought  to  be  so  suddenly 
sent  to  Eternity  without  any  time  to  repent  of  the  Sins  of  our 
Past  Lives  and  to  make  our  peace  with  that  God,  who  must 
finally  judge  us  all  for  the  deeds  done  in  the  flesh ;  that  there- 
fore to  prepare  for  this  great  and  awful  trial,  Your  Petitioners 
most  Humbly  Ijeg  tliat  they  may  have  a  Eespite  of  a  few  Days,. 


128  History  of  Marlborough. 

and  Your  Petitioners  as  in  Duty  l)oun(l  shall  in  the  meantime 

earnestly  pray. 

JACOBUS  ROSE 
JACOB  MTDDAGH 

Kingston,  May  loth,  1T77 

The  petition  was  rejected.  I  do  not  know  as  Rose 
was  a  resident  of  this  town  but  he  was  recruiting  men 
liere  and  all  a])out  the  surrounding  country,  and  ap- 
pears to  have  got  himself  and  many  people  in  troulile. 
Rose  and  Middagh  were  hanged  and  it  lias  been 
claimed  that  this  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  the  British 
burned  Kingston  a  few  months  after. 

Elnathan  Foster  gave  bond  as  follows: 

Know  All  Men  liy  these  presents,  that  we,  Elnathan  Foster 
and  Humphrey  JMerrett  *  *  *  a^-e  held  and  jointly  and 
severally  hound  unto  the  Treasurer  of  the  State  of  Xew  York 
in  the  sum  of  100  Ihs.  to  he  paid  to  the  said  Treasurer,  on  or 
before  the  first  day  of  June  next,  for  the  payment  whereof  we 
bind  ourselves,  heirs  *  *  "•'  Sealed  with  our  seals,  dated 
the  26th  of  May  1777.  The  Condition  of  this  Obligation  is 
such,  that  if  the  said  Elnathan  Foster  shall  and  do  forthwith 
proceed  to  his  usual  place  of  Abode  and  there  continue  to  reside 
and  not  to  depart  from  the  Bounds  of  his  Farm,  until  he  shall 
receive  Permission  from  this  Committee,  of  Safety,  or  further 
action  and  Order  of  this  State  for  so  doing-.  And  also  that  in 
the  meantime  he  shall  not  say  or  do  anything  inimical  to  the 
liberties  of  America,  Then  this  Obligation  to  be  void  or  else 
to  remain  in  full  force  and  virtue. 

ELXATHAK  FOSTER 
HUMPHREY  MERRETT 

January  12,  1776. — -In  Committee  of  Safety. 

Ulster  County  —  Stephen  Seymour,  of  full  age,  being  sworn 
on  the  Holy  Evangelists,  this  4th  day  of  Jan'y,  1776,  saith,  that 
on  IMonday  evening,  the  first  inst.,  at  the  house  of  Daniel 
McGiden,  he  heard  Samuel  Devine  repeatedly  drink  damnation 
to  the  Congress  and  all  the  Whigs;  that  last  year  was  Whig 
year,  but  this  would  be  Tory  year;  and  likewise  that  all  the 
Whigs  would  be  hanged  in  the  spring;  and  furthermore  called 
the  Whigs  a  pack  of  damned  rebels  —  and  further  saith  that  he 
would  not  obev  his  officers  more  than  he  would  a  dog. 


Marlborough  in  the  Revolution.  129 

Ulster  County  —  Henry  Loekwood,  of  full  age,  being  duly 
sworn,  saieth,  that  on  his  way  home  from  Xewburgh  he  met 
with  some  persons,  among  whom  was  a  certain  Samuel  Devine, 
who  then  asked  him  if  he  did  not  know  there  was  a  reward  for 
taking  up  a  Committee  man  and  sending  him  on  board  a  man- 
of-war;  who  then  threatened  to  take  this  deponent,  he  being 
one  of  the  Committee  of  Marlborough  Precinct,  and  that  he 
would  have  40  lbs.  cash,  or  50  acres  of  land,  for  delivering 
him,  &c 

Devine  was  released  under  this  charge,  but  in  1777 
was  conrt  martialed  and  sentenced  to  be  hanged.  He 
was  afterward  pardoned  by  Governor  Clinton.  De- 
vine  and  others  made  the  following  petition : 

Gentlemen : 

Famine  more  formidable  than  the  sword  and  pestilence 
united,  now  presents  itself  to  us,  the  gaoler  informs  us  that  he 
has  orders  to  decline  Supplying  us  with  provisions.  Is  it  pos- 
sible that  a  Council  of  Safety  for  the  State  of  New  York  can 
issue  so  horrid  an  order?  Perish  the  ungrateful  suggestion, 
we  cannot  believe  it,  to  keep  man  in  close  confinement  with  all 
the  precautions  practicable  l)y  human  ingenuity  and  at  the 
same  time  deny  them  the  necessaries  of  life  is  unprecedented 
among  them  we  call  savages.  There  are  many  among  us  desti- 
tute of  money  and  of  every  means  to  preserve  existance.  There 
possibly  are  some  who  can  supply  themselves,  but  let  a  scrutiny 
be  made  and  let  not  them  who  cannot,  perish.  We  have  not, 
we  will  not  pursue  any  violent  measures,  we  trust  in  God  and 
the  humanity  of  your  honoral)le  board  and  are  Gentlemen,  Your 
Distressed  humble  Servants. 

Eobert  Nickolesson 

Harrow  Wilkinson 
his 

Jacob  X  Scoulenar 
mark 

Silas  Gardiner 

Samuel  Devine 

James  Beggs 

Thos.  Wilkinson 

Wm.  Orr 
his 

Alex.  X  Campcll 
mark 


130  History  of  Marlborough. 

.  Isaac  Lockwood 
Henry  Plank 
Canith  Brisben 

his 
Eobert  x  Briget  Xigor 
mark 
To  the  Hon()ral)le  the  Council  of  Safety  for  the  State  of  Xew 

York 
Kingston  gaol,  August  23,  1777. 


Petition   of  Silas   Gardiner. 

To  the  Honorable  the  Eepresentatives  of  the  State  of  New 
York  in  Convention  Assembled.  The  Petition  of  Silas  Gardiner 
Humbly  Showeth  that  your  petitioner  is  one  of  the  unhappy 
])ersons  who  are  confined  in  the  Dungeon  of  the  Common  Gaol 
of  Kingston  and  sentanced  to  Die  by  Court  ]\Iartial.  That  as 
this  Honorable  Convention  hath  the  Confirming  of  the  sentance 
yr  petitioner  is  therefore  led  to  offer  by  his  petition,  That  as 
this  Honorable  House  hath  Been  ever  ready  to  fiear  the  peti- 
tions of  the  Distressed  and  always  followed  the  unerring  & 
Divine  precept  (which  says  mercy  Eejoiseth  Against  Judgment) 
and  Especially  as  he  humbly  conceives  he  is  wrongfully  con- 
demned by  false  accusations.  -That  yr  petitioner  some  time  last 
January  went  to  Xew  York  &  Returned  and  was  about  Return- 
ing again  in  company  with  one  Isaac  Lockwood  But  was  taken 
&  sent  to  Fishkill,  Try'd  by  the  Commissions  &  Discharged 
from  the  said  offence.  That  yr  petitioner  was  Returned  to  his 
family  and  had  been  but  al)Out  twelve  hours  home  before  he 
was  apprehended  by  some  of  his  neighbors,  and  taken  Down 
to  the  Forts  &  Confined  &  Sentenced  to  Die.  That  yr  peti- 
tioner knows  of  nothing  that  can  be  laid  to  his  charge 
since  his  Discharge  from  the  said  Commissions.  But  is 
Informed  tliat  the  said  Isaac  Lockwood  has  sworn  that  yr 
petitioner  enticed  him  tlie  said  Lockwood  to  go  off  the 
Time  when  they  were  l)oth  apprehended.  That  yr  petitioner 
can  sufficiently  prove  by  several  witnesses  if  required  that 
the  accusation  of  the  said  Isaac  Lockwood  is  false  as  the  said 
Avitnesses  is  Ready  to  testify  that  the  said  Isaac  Lockwood  was 
Ready  and  about  going  off  to  Xew  York  Before  yr  petitioner 
Returned  therefrom.     That  yr  petitioner  is  in  a  truly  Deplora- 


Marlborough  in  the  Revolution.  131 


ble  and  pitable  situation  Being  Condemned  for  a  Crime  for 
which  he  hath  Been  Legally  Discharged,  and  is  conscious  to 
himself  of  not  having  Committed  any  thing  since  his  Discharge 
worthy  of  punishment  yr  Petitioner  therefore  Humbly  prays 
and  implores  that  this  Honoral)le  House  will  be  favorably 
pleased  &  mercifully  Disposed  to  take  this  Deplorable  Case 
under  their  most  serious  consideration  so  as  that  yr  petitioner 
may  be  Relieved  from  the  said  sentence  of  Death  by  pardoning 
yr  petitioner  and  Discharging  him  from  his  confinement  or 
such  other  Eelief  as  to  this  Honorable  House  shall  seem  meet. 
And  yr  petitioner  shall  ever  prav. 

SILAS  CtARDIXEE. 

Kingston  Gaol  ]\Liv  9,  1777. 


Petition  of  Arthur  McKinney. 

To  the  Honorable  the  Representatives  of  the  State  of  New 
York  in  Convention  assembled. 

The  Petition  of  Arthur  :\IcKinney  Humbly  showeth  That 
your  petitioner  is  at  present  a  Prisoner  Confined  in  the  Dun- 
■  geon  of  the  Common  Gaol  of  Kingston  and  under  sentence  of 
Death  for  an  offence  Against  the  Law  of  this  State  Confirmed 
by  a  Resolve  of  this  Honorable  Convention  passed  tlie  14th 
day  of  April  last. 

That  the  said  Resolve  was  unknown  to  your  Petitioner  *  *  * 
^  That  yr  jDetitioner  is  Innocently  Ijrought  into  this  Dismal 
Snare  by  some  ill  Disposed  person  who  must  have  directed  them 
to  his  Barn  in  the  Dead  of  the  night  unknown  to  vour  petitioner 
&  without  his  knowledge,  and  as  he  looks  upon  himself  as  a 
Dying  man  it  is  his  Indispensible  Duty,  as  he  regards  the  good 
of  his  soul  in  the  next  life  to  say  or  Declare  nothing  Ijut  truth 
yr  Petitioner  therefore  is  Ready  &  willing  to  lay  his  hand  on 
the  sacred  word  of  God,  and  Solemnly  Declare  tiiat  he  neither 
Knew  of  their  coming  or  of  their  l)eing  there  until  the  next 
morning  when  he  went  to  feed  his  Cattle  as  usual,  and  then 
he  found  the  men  in  the  Barn,  and  tliey  would  not  let  him 
go  out  until  he  made  his  Xegro  wench  Ijring  victuals  to 
them     *     *     =•= 

That  yr  petitioner  is  in  a  truly  dejilorable  condition,  Being 
bound  witli  Iron  Bands  in  a  Dark  and  Dismal  Dungeon.  *    *    * 

ARTHUR  McKINA^EY. 


132  History  of  Maelbokough. 


To  the  Honcl.  Council  of  Safety  for  the  State  of  Xew  York. 

The  Humble  petition  of  divers  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Xew 
Borough  and  New  Marlborough,  Precinct  of .  Ulster  County, 
Most  humbly  Showeth,  That  we  the  Neighbors  and  acquaint- 
ances of  Samuel  Devine,  now  in  confinement  at  Kingston,  and 
seeing  the  distress  to  his  wife  and  young  family  are  reduced  by 
reason  of  his  al)senct\  and  also  to  what  they  will  Ije  reduced  to 
if  they  can  get  no  assistance  from  him  in  Provisions  and 
Provender  for  the  approaching  season,  We  herehy  humbly  pray 
that  he  may  be  relieved  from  his  confinement  and  sent  to  his 
family  under  such  restraint  as  you  in  your  wisdom  shall  think 
proper,  and  we  with  truth  assure  you,  that  as  friends  to  our 
Country's  cause  we  would  not  he  thought  to  ask  Liberty  for  an 
Enemy,  and  have  not  the  least  cause  of  Suspecting  that  he  will 
do  anything  for  the  prejudice  of  the  United  States  of  America, 
what  he  formerly  has  done,  we  rather  lieliove  has  l)een  from 
passion  more  than  from  principle,  all  of  which  we  sulunit  to 
your  wise  and  gracious  judgment. 

Petitioners  shall  forever  pray. 
Jon  Scot  Joseph  Eansom  Jonathan  Lane 

Edward  turner  John  gee  Nehemiah  liorton 

Hazel  Smith  Henry  Cronk  Andrew  gee 

Dene   Eelyea  William  gerow  William  gee.  Senyr 

Benjamin  Eelyea        John  gerow  Cornelius  Pohlames 

Peter  terpenny  A\  illiam  Eelyea  James  Devine 

Frederick   Cronk         Joseph  Devine 

Newboroiigh  above  named  was  Newburgli.  It  was 
often  called  in  ancient  papers  New  Borough. 


Petition  of  Levi  Quimby. 

To  the  Honorable  Council  of  Safety  for  the  State  of  New  York. 

The  Humble  Petition  of  Levi  Quimby  whose  name  is  herwith 
sul)scril3ed,  Humbly  Sheweth, 

That  whereas  your  Petitioner  on  the  first  of  March  last  past 
met  with  three  men  whose  names  entirely  slipt  my  memory, 
being  by  them  persuaded  to  leave  my  halntation,  wife  and  chil- 
dren and  went  down  to  Xew  York.  While  there  on  York  Island 
being  informed  by  a  man  from  New  Jersey  that  the  Honorable 
Convention  of  the  State  of  New  Y'ork  had  passed  an  act  of 
grace,    offering    free    pardon   to    sulijects    that   had    committed 


Marlborough  in  the  Eevolution,  133 

treasonable  acts  against  this  State  and  that  would  return  again 
to  their  allegiance.  In  consequence  of  said  information  your 
humble  ])etitioner  left  Xew  York  Island  the  14th  of  this  Instant 
to  tiike  the  Benefit  of  the  act  of  grace  pursuant  to  the  declara- 
tion or  ordinance  of  the  Convention  of  the  State  of  Xe^Y  York 
passed  the  10th  of  this  Instant  offering  free  pardon  to  such  of 
the  Subjects  of  the  said  State  as  having  committed  treasonable 
acts  against  the  same,  should  return  to  their  allegiance. 

Your  petitioner  appeared  before  Major  Lewis  DuBois,  one 
of  the  Field  officers  of  Coll.  Jonathan  Hasbrouck's  Regiment  of 
Militia,  on  the  10th  of  this  Instant  and  took  the  oath  prescril)ed 
in  said  Declaration  or  ordinance  al)ove  recited  and  llere^ntll 
produce  the  Certificate  of  Major  Lewis  DuBois  and  pray  the 
Honorable  Council  of  Safety  to  pardon  all  and  every  treason- 
able acts  and  deeds  by  me  committed  heretofore  against  this 
State,  and  your  petitioner  Ijegs  to  l)e  I'estored  to  a  participation 
of  all  the  rights,  liberties  and  privileges  appertaining  to  the 
good  people  thereof.     And  your  petitioner  will  ever  pray. 

LEVI  QUIMBY. 


Xew  :\Iarll)orough.  May  ye  19th.  1777. 
I  do  hereby  certify  that  the  bearer  hereof  of  Levi  Quimby 
has  this  Day  appeared  before  me  and  took  the  oath  of  allegiance 
to  the  State  of  Xew  York  aggreeable  to  a  resolve  of  the  Honor- 
able Convention  of  the  State  of  Xew  York  passed  the  10th  Day 
of  this  Instant  as  witness  my  hand  Day  and  Date  above. 

LEWIS  DUBOIS  Major 


Petition  of  Levi  and  Nathaniel  Quimby. 
Respected  Sir: 

I  am  a  Prisoner  confined  in  this  jail  Transmitted  from  Xew 
Windsor  here.  I  came  from  Xew  York  on  a  Proclamation  Is- 
sued by  Major  Gen'l  Putman  and  when  we  Arrived  at  whome 
we  Immediately  went  to  the  committee  of  Xew  Marll)orough 
and  they  regularly  Examined  us  Both  and  told  us  to  go  to  our 
whomes  and  there  Quietly  and  peaceably  remain  l)ut  malicious 
people  tuk  us  up.  notwithstanding  the  Committee  C-leared  us, 
and  sent  us  here.  As  you  are  a  gentleman  of  Probity  we  humbly 
pray  of  you  to  order  us  to  be  brought  before  you  in  order  that 


134  History  of  Marlborough. 

we  may  know  what  we  may  depend  on.     Sir  your  complyauce 

will  ever  be  acknowledged. 

LEVI  QUI  MB  Y 
KATHAXIEL    QUIMBY 

To  the  Hon'ble  Jno  Scott,  Esq. 

The  John  Scott  above  spoken  of  was  a  Brigadier 
General,  and  it  appears  that  people  suspected  of  being 
tories  or  unfriendly  to  the  cause  of  liberty  could  take 
the  oath  of  loyalty  liefore  an  officer  of  the  army  or 
could  petition  such  officer  for  redress  and  protection. 
The  officer  could  issue  to  them  certificates  that  would 
insure  imunity  from  arrest  or  prosecution. 


Recognizance   of  Levi  Quimby. 

Be  it  remembered  that  on  the  seventh  day  of  January  1T7T, 
Personally  appeared  before  me  Roljert  Benson  one  of  the  Secre- 
taries of  the  (Convention  of  the  State  of  Xew  York  Levi  Quim))y 
of  Xew  Marlboro'  Precinct  in  the  County  of  Ulster  and  Isaac 
Wilsey  of  Carlotte  Precinct  in  the  County  of  Dutchess  yeoman, 
who  acknowledg'ed  themselves  to  be  jointly  &  Severally  in- 
del)ted  to  the  People  of  the  State  of  Xew  York  in  the  Sum  of 
two  hundred  Pounds  money  of  the  said  State  to  l)e  levied  on 
their  Goods  &  Chatties  Lands  &  Tenements  if  Default  be  made 
in  the  Condition  following  The  Condition  of  this  Recognizance 
in  such  that  if  the  al)ove  bounden  Levi  Quimljy  shall  well  & 
truly  appear  at  the  next  (*ourt  of  Oyer  &  Terminer  and  general 
Goal  Delivery  which  shall  l)e  held  in  &  for  the  County  of  Ulster 
to  answer  such  matters  as  shall  l)e  Charged  then  and  there 
Against  him  &  not  depart  without  Leave ;  then  the  a1)0ve  Recog- 
nizance to  1)6  Void  &  of  none  Effect  otherwise  to  l^e  and  remain 
in  full  force  &  Effect 

Taken  &  acknowledged  the  day  dv'  year  al)ove  written 
Roliert  Benson,  Secretarv. 

LEAa  QUIMBY  Seal 

ISAAC  WILSEY         Seal 


It   appears    from   the   previous   petitions    of    Levi 
Quimby   that   he  had  been  down  to  New  York  and 


Marlborough  in  the  Revolution.  135 

joined  the  Britisli  army  or  else  was  suspected  of  hav- 
ing done  so,  and  of  being  friendly  to  the  King  and 
opposed  in  some  way  to  the  colonies.  All  the  year 
of  1777  he  was  under  surveillance.  The  Committee  of 
Safety  were  watching  him  and  it  seems  he  had  been 
arrested  several  times  and  was  liable  to  be  arrested  at 
any  time;  and  finally  he  had  appeared  before  the 
secretary  of  the  convention,  Robert  Benson  and  had 
made  and  filed  a  bond.  Quimby  must  have  been  ar- 
rested for  treason  previous  to  giving  this  bond,  and 
he  was  bound  over  to  the  court,  at  which  court  he  was 
to  answer  for  that  otfense  or  some  other  charge.  It 
related  in  some  way  to  his  unfriendliess  to  the  cause 
of  liberty.  I  find  no  account  of  any  other  proceeding. 
He  very  likely  got  along  all  right,  as  he  remained  here 
and  was  always  afterward  a  good  citizen. 


Jacob  Dayton  the  Blacksmith. 

There  has  always  been  a  tradition  here  —  it  has  fol- 
lowed the  name  from  one  generation  to  another  —  that 
Jacob  Dayton  was  a  tory  in  the  Revolution  and  piloted 
Vaughn's  expedition  up  the  Hudson  river  when  it 
burned  Kingston.  I  remember  of  hearing  this-  when 
a  little  child  and  have  heard  it  ever  since;  it  has  been 
a  common  expression  among  the  people  ever  since  the 
war.  So  I  have  looked  up  this  tradition  and  have  been 
quite  curious  to  find  out  if  there  was  anything  in  it,  but 
I  have  utterly  failed  except  in  finding  that  he  was  sus- 
pected as  many  others  were,  who  differed  in  opinion 
about  the  war,  as  being  unfriendly  to  the  cause,  and 
was  required  to  give  bonds  for  his  loyalty.  I  have 
the  original  bond,  a  coj^y  of  which  is  given  hereafter. 
I  cannot  find  that  he  piloted  the  British  vessels  up 
the  river.  It  certainly  was  not  necessary,  as  the  water 
was  deep  and  their  vessels  small,  and  they  arrived  at 


136  History  of  Marlborough. 

Kingston  in  the  daytime.  Had  lie  done  so,  it  would 
certainly  have  been  known  at  the  time,  and  the  Kings- 
ton people  would  afterward  have  killed  him,  hut  he 
continued  to  live  here  during  most  of  the  contest,  and 
even  after  the  war  and  until  he  died  many  years 
afterward.  He  owned  i)roperty  and  was  a  man  of 
standing  and  carried  on  business;  he  was  a  class 
leader  in  the  Methodist  church  in  1789  ("  Jacob  Day- 
ton's class  near  Latten  Town  ").  He  took  an  active 
part  in  church  and  town  matters  and  was  one  of  the 
first  trustees  of  the  Milton  Methodist  CUmrch.  He 
raised  a  large  family,  many  of  the  descendants  of 
whom  now  reside  in  the  town,  and  about  the  county ; 
he  was  the  great-grandfather  of  the  late  Morgan  A. 
Dayton,  the  lawyer.  He  was  a  good  citizen  as  far  a9 
I  can  find  out,  and  was  never  interfered  with  after  the 
war  on  account  of  his  opinions  and  conduct  in  rela- 
tion to  the  Revolution.  It  is  passing  strange  how  such 
a  widespread  tradition  could  exist  on  so  slight  a 
foundation  as  there  appears  to  be  for  it ;  there  may 
be  more  about  it  but  I  have  failed  to  find  it.  It  was 
a  common  expression  among  the  neighbors:  "Where 
did  Dayton  get  all  this  property,  if  the  English  did 
not  give  it  to  him!  " 

The  following  bond  was  given  by  Dayton : 

Know  all  men  by  these  presents ;  That  I,  Jacob  Dayton, 
blacksmith  of  the  Precinct  of  New  Marlborough  in  the  County 
of  Ulster  and  State  of  New  York  am  held  and  firmly  Ijound 
unto  Nathaniel  Potter,  farmer  of  New  Paltz  in  the  County  and 
State  aforesaid,  in  the  penal  sum  of  Five  Hundred  Pounds  to 
be  paid  to  the  said  Nathaniel  Potter,  or  his  certain  Attorney, 
heirs,  executors,  administrators,  or  assigns,  for  which  payment 
to  Ijc  made  and  done.  I  do  hereby  bind  myself,  my  heirs,  execu- 
tors, administrators,  and  every  of  them  firmly  by  these  presents 
and  sealed. 

Dated  tliis  twenty-six  day  of  July,  17T8. 

The  Condition  of  this  01)ligation  is  such  that  if  the  above 
Jacob  Davton   shall   well  and   trulv  behave  himself  to  all  the 


Marlborough  in  the  Revolution.  137 

friends  of  Liberty  in  this  State,  or  any  other  State  within 
herein,  he  shall  reside  in  all  things  according  to  the  Laws  of 
the  said  State,  obeying  all  commands,  then  this  present  obliga- 
tion shall  be  void  and  of  none  effect;  otherwise  to  remain  in 
full  force  and  virtue. 

Signed,  sealed  and  delivered  in  the  pi'esence  of  us 
Jacob  Wood 
Xoali  Woolsey 

JACOB  DAYTOX  (Seal) 


Will  of  Jacob  Dayton, 

Devises  to  Benjamin  &  olliers,  children  of  his  son,  Aristodes, 
dec'd,  certain  lands, — 180  acres  &c.  All  the  rest  of  his  real 
and  personal  estate  to  l)e  valued  and  divided  Ijy  three  appraisers 
or  commissioners,  chosen  by  his  executors,  into  tive  equal  parts, 
and  divided  among  his  children  and  grandchildren. 

One-fifth  part  thereof  to  his  son,  Combury  Dayton,  to  he 
alloted  to  him  on  tlie  homestead  farm ;  one-fifth  to  his  son, 
Jacob, —  that  the  farm  he  now  resides  on  be  set  off  to  him  in 
his  share  of  the  estate;  one-fiftli  to  his  son,  Caleb,  that  the  farm 
he  now  resides  on  be  set  off  to  him  as  his  share ;  the  other  re- 
maining two-fifths  part  be  divided  in  nine  equal  shares;  one- 
ninth  to  his  son,  Daniel;  one-ninth  to  the  children  of  his  son, 
Hustis,  dec'd;  one-ninth  to  the  children  of  his  son,  Aristodes, 
dec'd;  one-ninth  to  his  executors  in  trust  for  his  daughter, 
Martha  Eussell,  to  have  the  use  of  it  during  her  life,  tlien  to 
go  to  her  children;  one-ninth  to  executors  in  trust  for  jiis 
daughter,  Elizabeth,  wife  of  George  Ball,  to  have  the  use  of  and 
then  to  go  to  her  children ;  one-ninth  to  executors  in  trust  for 
his  daughter,  Polly  Thompson,  and  then  to  go  to  her  children; 
one-ninth  for  children  of  daughter,  Fanny  Tillson ;  one-ninth 
to  children  of  daughter,  Phebe  Sloan,  dec'd;  one-ninth  to  chil- 
dren of  liis  daughter,  Lucretia  Sutton,  dec'd.     *     *     * 

The  executors  named  were  liis  sons,  Cornlniry, 
Jacob,  Daniel,  and  Caleb  and  bis  friend,  Moses  Wool- 
sey. A  codicil  dated  Angnst  7,  1832,  makes  some 
slight  clianges,  and  directs  ''  That  tlie  bnrying  ground 
which  I  have  set  off  on  my  farm  be  fenced  by  my 
execntors  and  kept  for  a  family  bnrying  gronnd  to  tlie 
remotest  generation  for  all  mv  relatives." 


138  History  of  Marlborough. 

Jacob  Dayton  died  at  the  old  Dayton  liomestead  in 
1836  at  the  age  of  80,  leaving  several  hundred  acres 
of  land,  considerable  personal  property,  and  a  large 
famih\  His  will  was  contested;  thirty-two  witnesses 
were  sworn,  the  most  x>i'oniinent  men  in  Marlborongh 
and  New  Paltz  were  witnesses.  The  will  was  ad- 
mitted to  probate  and  the  property  distributed.  It 
appears  by  the  will  that  most  of  the  children  and 
grandchildren  were  occupying  his  lands  at  the  time  of 
his  death  and  he  provided  as  near  as  he  could  that 
they  were  to  have  the  lands  they  lived  on.  He  cer- 
tainly had  been  a  very  successful  man,  and  many  at- 
tril)uted  his  good  fortune  to  his  supposed  loyalty  to 
England,  but  much  of  this  feeling  arose,  no  doubt, 
from  jealousy. 


Petition  of  Leonard  Smith. 

To  the  Honorable  tlie  liepresentatives  of  the  State  of  'New 
York  in  Convention  assembled.  The  petition  of  Leonard  Smith 
of  New  Marlborough  Precinct,  County  of  Ulster  and  State  of 
Xew  York,  Humbly  showeth  that  your  petitioner's  sloop  was 
taken  into  the  service  of  this  State,  October  last  past  and  con- 
tinued in  the  service  until  November,  and  was  employed  in 
carrying  stores,  &c  to  and  from  King's  bridge  to  Tarrytown. 
That  said  sloop,  the  last  trip  she  made  from  King's  bridge  to 
Tarrytown,  was  made  there  by  reason  of  the  enemy's  approach. 
That  the  sails  l)elonging  to  said  sloop  were  taken  off  and  ;)ut 
into  the  store  of  this  State.  That  your  petitioner  has  a])p^'ed 
since  to  his  employers  for  sails,  &c  to  endeavor  to  get  away  the 
said  sloop,  but  could  get  none.  But  they  referred  him  to  the 
Honoralde  Convention  for  redress  therefore.  That  your  peti- 
tioner has  a  certificate  ready  to  be  produced  of  the  said  sloop 
being  employed  in  the  service  of  this  State.  That  your  peti- 
tioner conceives  that  as  the  said  sloop  was  in  the  service  of  this 
State,  it  would  be  extremely  hard  and  unreasonable  that  the  loss 
of  said  sloop  should  fall  on  and  be  borne  by  your  petitioner. 
Your  petitioner,  therefore,  huml)ly  prays  that  this  Honorable 
House  would  ])e  favorably  pleased  to  take  the  premises  under 


Marlborough  in  the  Revolution.  139 

consideration,  and  to  make  some  provision  for  the  payment  of 
the  said  sh^op,  or  to  give  sucli  otlier  relief  in  the  premises  as 
to  this  Honoral)le  House  sliouhl  seem  meet,  and  your  petitio;ier 
shall  ever  prav. 

LEOXAED  SMITH. 
Kingston,  ]\rareh  25,  ITTT. 


Certificate  of  Sloop  Sally. 

Peekskill,  Mar.  15,  m?. 

This  is  to  certify  that  the  Sloop  Sally  belonging  to  Leonard 
J.  Smith  was  employed  in  the  C'ontinental  service  in  the  months 
of  Oct.  ct  Xov.  last." 

WILL^i  DOBBS. 


Bond  of  Josiah  Lockwood, 

Know  all  men  by  these  presents  that  we,  Josiah  Lockwood 
and  Uriah  Drake,  of  the  Precinct  of  Xew  ]\Iarlborough  *  *  * 
are  held  and  firmly  bound  unto  the  United  States  of  America 
in  the  just  and  full  sum  of  300  pounds  *  *  *  to  be  paid  to 
the  said  States  or  to  such  person  or  persons  as  shall  be  herein- 
after nominated  to  receive  such  fines  and  penalties. 

Which  payment  well  and  truly  to  be  made  and  done,  we  Innd 
ourselves  respectively     *     *     * 

Sealed  with  our  seals  and  dated  this  seventh  day  of  ^larch 

i   i    i  . 

The  condition  of  this  oldigation  is  such  that  if  the  above 
bounden  Josiah  Lockwood  do  personally  appear  before  a  general 
Court  Martial  to  be  held  at  the  Paltz  *  *  *  on  the  4tli 
day  of  April  next  there  to  remain  until  legally  discharged  by 
said  Court,  then  this  obligation  to  be  void  otherwise  to  Ije  and 
remain  in  full  force  and  virtue. 

JOSL\H  LOCKWOOD      (Seal) 
URL\H  DPvAKE  (Seal) 

In  presence  of 
John  Hothorn 
Elizabeth  Hothorn 


140  History  of  Marlborough. 

Petition  of  Cadwallader  Golden,  Jr. 

To  the  H()noral)le  the  IJepresentatives  of  the  State  of  Xew  York 
in  C*onvention. 

That  your  Petitioner  impressed  with  the  most  painful  appre- 
hensions of  C'allamities  tliat  would  flow  from  a  separation  of 
the  American  Colonies  from  the  government  of  Great  Britain, 
Did  in  the  beginning  of  the  present  most  mihappv  Disputes 
appear  opposed  to  such  measures  as  he  Imagined  would  Involve 
his  Country  in  Distress  in  consequence  of  which  he  was  stig- 
matized by  those  from  whom  he  Differed  in  Sentiment  with  the 
odious  appellation  of  an  Enemy  of  his  Country,  and  thereby 
became  the  ol)ject  of  hatred.  Slander  and  malevolence  was  often 
insulted  and  frequently  threatened  with  Destruction  of  his  Per- 
son and  Preoperty  *  *  *  ^y.^^  among  the  first  that  signed 
the  general  association,  since  which  time  your  Petitioner  doth 
aver  that  he  hath  in  no  way  whatever  opposed  or  o1)structed 
any  pnblic  measures,  nor  hath  he  in  any  one  Instance,  either 
Persuaded  or  Dissuaded  any  man     *     *     " 

^Notwithstanding  wliich  and  witliout  the  least  cause  your 
Petitioner's  house  was  surrounded  l)y  an  armed  body  of  men 
commanded  l)y  Col.  Pahuer  in  the  dead  of  the  night  of  the  24 
of  June  last,  and  on  l)eing  granted  admission  he  the  said 
Palmer  and  Divers  others  proceeded  to  searcli  every  part  of  the 
house  of  your  Petitioner  for  arms  and  ammunition  &c,  also 
Examined  liis  Deslv  and  Chest  of  Papers  and  though  said 
Palmer  declared  himself  perfectly  satisfied  that  your  Petitioner 
was  destitute  of  all  offensive  weapons  &c  he  nevertheless  seized 
the  person  of  your  Petitioner  and  sent  him  under  Strong  Guard 
to  Xew  Windsor,  and  the  next  day  was  conveyed  as  a  prisoner 
to  Newl)urgh     *     *     * 

That  on  the  4th  of  July  your  Petitioner  appeared  Ijefore  the 
County  (*ommittee,  and  though  no  charge  was  adduced  against 
your  Petitioner,  much  less  su]iported,  of  his  acting  Inimical  to 
the  Liberties  of  his  C^ountry     '•'     *     * 

Yet  to  the  Surprise  of  your  Petitioner  and  the  astonishment 
of  the  (*ounty.  your  Petitioner  was  ordered  to  the  Common 
Goal  of  the  County  in  close  confinement  under  every  circum- 
stance of  Indignity  and  Disrespect  For  which  your  Petitioner 
took  the  liberty  to  inform  your  Honorable  Board  of  his  griev- 
ances and  to  Pray  for  relief  *  *  *  reconsideration  of  the 
rigorous  Treatment  he  had  Received  by  a  close  Confinement 
in  a  jayl  for  nearly  five  weeks  without  any  charge  against  him 
and  Solicits  his  Discharo-e.     Xotwithstanding-  which  all  the  In- 


Marlborough  in  the  Revolution.  1-il 

diligences  your  Petitioner  was  able  to  procure  has  been  a  re- 
lease from  the  common  jayl  upon  giving  security  in  the  Exor- 
bitant sum  of  20U0  Pounds  not  to  go  off  his  farm  until  fully 
discharged  by  your  Honorable  Board     *     *     * 

CADR  COLDEX,  Junr. 
Coldenham,  Aug.   21,   1776. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  C^ommittee,  ISTov.  2,  1776  it  was  resolved 
that  Cadwallader  Colden  l)e  brought  before  the  committee, 
That  Capt.  Lusk  do  forthwith  apprehend  the  said  Cadwallader 
Colden,  Esq.  and  bring  him  before  this  Committee,  that  he 
carefully  and  diligently  examine  all  his  papers  and  that  he 
secure  all  such  as  may  have  any  reference  to  the  contest  betwixt 
Great  Britain  and  America  in  order  that  the  same  may  be  ex- 
amined by  this  Committee.  Resolved  that  he  be  forthwith  re- 
moved to  the  town  of  Boston  in  the  State  of  Massachusetts  Bay 
there  to  remain  at  his  own  expense  on  his  parole  of  honor 
under  such  restrictions  as  the  Select  Men  or  Civil  Authority  of 
the  Town  shall  prescribe.  *  *  *  Modified.  Resolved  there- 
fore that  the  said  Cadwallader  Colden  be  confined  on  his  Parole 
of  Honor  within  five  miles  of  his  usual  place  of  abode  he  the 
said  Cadwallader  first  making  oath  that  he  will  not  either  di- 
rectly or  indirectly  countenance  or  commit  any  act  or  thing 
whatsoever  against  this  State  its  Rights  and  Liberties     *     *     * 

Cadwallader  C^olden  did  uot  reside  here,  but  re- 
sided at  Coldenham,  where  a  large  patent  of  land  had 
been  granted  to  his  father.  Gov.  Cadwallader  Colden, 
who  was  the  last  Lieutenant  Governor  appointed  by 
tire  crown  and  at,  and  sometime  previous  to,  the  com- 
mencement of  the  war,  he  was  Acting  Governor.  He 
was  not  only  a  man  of  prominence  and  influence  about 
here,  but  all  over  the  State.  He  was  one  of  his  Maj- 
esty's council  and  as  such  took  the  proof  and  acknowl- 
edgments of  most  of  the  land  titles  in  those  times  in 
this  town  or  precinct,  and  he  or  some  of  the  family 
owned  Colden 's  Ridge.  I  find  liis  name  very  frequently 
in  old  documents.  Owing  to  the  honors  and  emolu- 
ments that  he  had  received  from  the  mother  country 
he  was  naturally  in  sympathy  with  her  and  refrained 
from  taking  part  against  her.     He  died  at  the  com- 


142  History  of  Marlborough. 

mencement  of  the  war,  but  his  son  Cadwallader  and 
his  son  Alexander,  who  had  previously  been  sheriff  of 
Ulster  county,  were  naturally  suspected  of  being  un- 
friendly to  tlie  cause  of  lil)erty  and  were  continually 
under   surveillance. 


Petition  of  Elnathan  Foster  and  others,  Kingston 

Goal. 

To  the  Honorable  C'oiiiniittee  of  Safety, 

As  we  have  no  other  way  to  Inform  you  of  our  Necessity  but 
by  the  Pen  and  we  hope  that  you  are  Not  oncenciable  of  the 
condission  that  our  Famih's  is  in  at  this  time,  and  they  are 
Not  able  to  sepoart  us  at  this  time  and  we  are  out  of  Porveson 
and  have  been  for  this  Two  days  Nothing  but  Bread  alone  and 
we  have  not  but  Tow  of  us,  that  is  got  any  money  and  we  must 
suffer  For  there  is  Several  of  us  that  is  Sick  and  the  Room,  is 
so  full  that  there  is  but  one  part  of  us  Can  Lay  down  at  a  time, 
and  we  Beg  that  you  would  bear  our  Complaint  For  you  are  the 
gentlemen  that  we  must  beg  to  hear  our  Cry  and  without  you 
will  have  some  marcy  on  us  sun  we  must  Dy,  hear  this  from 
your  luimble  Petitioners. 
Elnathan  Foster 
Solomon  Comes 
John  Flewelling 
Bengemin  Darl)y 
Bengamin  Smith 
David  Wyatt 
Stephen  Wood 
John  Mefad 
James  Flewelling 
Eobert  Denton 

The  colonies  were  very  poor  and  it  was  quite  hard 
sometimes  for  the  troops  to  obtain  su]iplies,  and  in 
such  cases  they,  or  the  Committee  of  Safety,  seized 
upon  what  was  necessary  for  their  wants  and  issued 
certiticates  for  the  payment  thereof;  and  the  follow- 
ing is  one  of  such  certificates,  which  has  never  been 
paid : 


Marlborough  in  the  Kevolution,  l-tS 

This  is  to  certify  that  we  have  taken  from  William  Woolsey 
seventeen  bushels  of  corn  and  ten  Inishels  of  buckwheat  for  the 
use  of  the  States,  which  you  are  to  deliver  to  the  Commissary 
of  Forage  when  called  for.  As  witness  our  hands  this  28th 
day  of  Oct.  1778. 

Corn  at  three  dollars  per  Inishel 
Buckwheat  two  dollars  per  bushel 

XATH'L  KELSEY 
EIGHT  CARPEXTEE 

Two  of  the  Committee 

Cattle,  gr^iu  and  provision  were  taken  up  in  this 
way  qnite  frequently,  especially  when  the  army  lay 
at  Newburgh  and  at  Valley  Forge;  and  horses  were 
pressed  into  the  service  to  carry  the  goods.  It  was 
claimed  that  the  horses  about  here  and  in  tlie  Precinct 
of  Newl)urii'h  were  all  used  in  this  service. 


Tories. 

Many  things  led  up  to  the  revolution  of  the  States 
against  the  mother  country,  but  they  were  matters 
that  could  have  lieen  amicably  settled  in  time;  the 
battle  of  Lexington,  however,  precipitated  matters 
and  it  appeared  that  war  was  inevitable.  To  be  sure 
many  differed  in  opinion;  those  who  opposed  such  a 
radical  step  Avere  mostly  honest  in  their  views.  They 
could  see  that  it  meant  a  long  and  bitter  struggle  witli 
a  powerful  nation,  and  a  great  navy,  with  the  result 
in  doubt,  they  naturally  shrank  from  the  ordeal.  It 
was  their  best  judgment  and  in  many  instances  their 
conscience,  and  as  long  as  they  acted  in  a  fair  and 
impartial  manner,  they  should  not  be  blamed.  These 
were  called  the  King's  men  by  their  neighbors;  they 
were  argued  with  and  every  reasonable  means  taken 
to  induce  tliem  to  come  over  to  the  American  side. 
They  were  seldom  interfered  with,  if  they  remained 
quietly  at  home  on  their  farms.    Some  under  the  name 


144  History  of  Marlborough. 

of  the  King's  meu,  and  the  prestige  the  name  gave, 
organized  marauding  parties  and  preyed  upon  the 
country,  plundering  and  annoying  the  inhabitants, 
driving  off  the  cattle  and  taking  their  property.  They 
became  outlaws  like  Claudius  Smith,  who  was  hung  at 
Goshen,  Fluwelling  and  others ;  some  enlisted  men,  as 
we  have  before  seen,  for  the  enemy;  some  enlisted 
themselves.  All  such  were  summarily  dealt  with  when 
caught.  Most  all  of  this  class  settled  in  Canada  after 
the  war.  A  few  returned,  but  had  a  hard  time  of  it. 
One  tory  was  shot  and  killed  on  the  Lattintown  road 
at  the  brow  of  the  hill  on  the  w^est  field  of  J.  R.  Wool- 
sey,  at  the  old  bar-way  that  stood  there.  Many  were 
tried  by  the  committee  or  by  courtmartial  and  con- 
fined on  prison  ships  at  the  strand,  Kingston,  and  in 
the  jail ;  at  one  time  there  were  twenty-nine  in  the 
jail.  This  was  in  the  old  courthouse,  the  jail  being 
under  the  courtroom.  The  prisoners  suffered  great 
hardships,  as  we  have  seen  by  some  of  the  petitions. 

When  the  State  committee  met  to  hold  their  sessions 
at  the  court  house,  I  find  that  upon  motion  of  Gouver- 
neur  Morris,  on  the  18th  of  March,  1777,  the  following 
resolution  was  passed: 

\Miereas  the  past  want  of  care  of  the  prisoners  now  confined 
in  tlie  jail  underneath  the  Convention  Chamber,  the  same  is 
supposed  to  have  become  unwliolesome  and  very  noisome  and 
disagreeable  effluvia  arises,  wliieh  may  endanger  the  health  of 
tlie  members  of  this  convention ;  Therefore  Resolved,  that  for 
tlie  preser\^ation  of  their  health  the  members  of  this  Convention 
he  at  liberty  at  their  pleasure  to  smoke  in  the  Convention 
Chambers  while  the  house  is  sitting  and  proceeding  on  business. 

About  this  time  there  were  fifty  heads  of  families 
of  the  Newburgh  precinct  either  in  the  English  army 
or  in  prison,  but  there  was  i-eason  for  their  loyalty  to 
the  King.  Governor  Colden  had  been  colonial  gover- 
nor; he  resided  l)ut  a  few  miles  away  and  had  many 


Marlbokough  in  the  Revolution.  145 

friends.  Many  had  appointments  and  favors  from  the 
home  government  and  considered  the  effort  for  free- 
dom hopeless. 

More  than  fonr  generations  have  passed  since  that 
time,  and  the  enmity  and  hatred  engendered  lias  all 
passed  away.  In  our  rise  and  progress,  wealth  and 
greatness,  the  descendants  of  those  people  have  borne 
an  honored  and  successful  part.  No  one  should  now 
be  criticised  for  what  is  past  and  gone;  all  that  was 
done  in  those  times  is  history  now.  All  feeling,  hatred 
and  animosity  are  past.  Many  generations  have  passed 
since,  and  what  is  heretofore  given  in  these  pages, 
is  given  to  show  only  the  habits,  incidents  and  history 
of  those  times  as  they  existed ;  they  are  a  part  of  our 
town  and  the  things  that  happened  about  here  —  the 
passing  events  of  those  stirring  times,  when,  as  it 
were,  our  ancestors  took  their  lives  in  their  hands  and 
started  out  to  form  a  new  and  great  nation. 


A  Day  of  Eejoioing. 

The  seige  of  Yorktown  and  the  surrender  of  the 
army  of  Lord  Cornwallis  in  October,  1781,  was  the 
last  engagement  of  any  moment.  Soon  thereafter 
most  of  the  American  army  returned  to  the  Hudson 
river,  and  in  April,  1782,  Washington  established  him- 
self at  the  Hasbrouck  house,  now  known  as  Washing- 
ton's headquarters,  in  Newburgh,  there  to  remain 
most  of  the  time  until  the  army  was  finally  disbanded. 
Some  of  the  army  in  the  autumn  of  1782  were  en- 
camped at  Verplanck  Point,  but  they  afterward 
crossed  to  the  west  side  of  the  river  and  went  into 
winter  quarters  with  the  rest  of  the  army  at  Fishkill, 
New  Windsor  and  about  Walden.  Washington  and 
most  of  his  generals  and  som-e  troops  were  at  New- 
burgh.   During  tliis  time  the  commissioners  of  Great 


146  History  of  Marlborough, 

Britain  and  America,  appointed  for  tlie  purpose,  were 
endeavoring  to  arrange  a  basis  of  peace  between  their 
countries,  and  had  concluded  their  duties  so  far  as  the 
two  nations  were  concerned,  but  peace  appeared  to  be 
contingent  upon  the  ratification  by  contending 
European  i)0wers.  In  A})ri],  178o,  notification  was  re- 
ceived of  tlie  ratification  of  preliminary  articles  and 
the  cessation  of  hostilities.  The  joyful  intelligence 
was  announced  to  the  army  and  country  on  April 
18tli  by  an  order  of  the  commander-in-chief,  and  was 
to  be  proclaimed  at  the  New  Building  on  the  morrow 
at  12  o'clock  noon,  and  directed  that,  "  The  adjutant- 
general  will  have  such  working  parties  detailed  to  as- 
sist in  making  the  preparations  for  a  general  rejoic- 
ing as  the  chief  engineer,  with  the  army,  shall  call  for; 
and  the  quarter-master-general  will  also  furnish  such 
material  as  he  may  want." 

Though  the  proclamation  declared  only  the  cessa- 
tion of  hostilities,  yet  it  was  regarded  throughout  the 
country  as  a  sure  sign  of  approaching  peace  —  as  an 
end  to  the  toil  and  suffering  of  the  people  and  the 
poverty  engendered  by  tlie  war.  Mounted  couriers 
having  proclaimed  the  glad  tidings  throughout  the 
surrounding  country,  the  })eople  on  the  early  morning 
of  the  19th  flocked  to  Newburgh  to  attend  the  general 
rejoicing  and  to  hear  and  see  the  celebration  of  the 
day  by  the  army;  and  the  people  of  this  town,  owing 
to  their  zeal  and  their  proximity  to  the  encampments, 
turned  out  en  masse.  Every  conceivable  conveyance 
was  pressed  into  service  and  even  the  poor  and  patient 
oxen  drew  the  farm  wagons  loaded  with  people  to  the 
center  of  rejoicing.  All  the  cares  and  toils  of  life 
were  forgotten  for  the  day,  the  old  l)ecame  young 
again  and  i^articipated  in  all  the  events  of  the  day. 
The  ceremonies  opened  at  sunrise  by  the  firing  of  can- 
non at  all  the  forts  and  fortifications.  The  army  lined 
up  on  l)oth  sides  of  the  river  with  polished  arms  and 


Marlborough  in  the  Revolution.  147 


the  war-worn  flags  of  many  battles  proudly  flying 
from  the  head  of  each  regiment.  There  were  reviews 
and  parades  and  the  firing  of  muskets  by  companies 
and  regiments,  after  which  there  were  other  public  ex- 
ercises. The  people  mingled  freely  with  the  soldiers 
and  sought  out  long-absent  friends  and  relatives,  who 
were  feasted  l)y  the  good  things  brought  from  the 
farms ;  nothing  was  too  good  for  the  soldiers  then.  At 
noon  the  order  and  prochimation  of  the  commander- 
in-chief  was  read  at  the  New  Building,  and  prayers 
and  religious  exercises  followed.  During  the  afternoon 
the  festivities  continued  and  as  evening  approached 
the  order  or  proclamation  was  read  at  the  head  of 
each  regiment  of  the  army,  after  which  the  chaplain 
of  the  several  brigades  rendered  thanks  to  Almighty 
God  for  all  His  mercies,  particularly  for  His  over- 
ruling the  wrath  of  men  to  His  own  glory,  and  caus- 
ing the  rage  of  war  to  cease  among  nations.  This  was 
followed  by  a  dress  parade,  the  firing  of  cannon  again 
and  the  roar  of  musketry  along  the  whole  line  of  the 
army.  The  beacon  fires  from  the  hilltops  then  blazed 
forth  the  tidings  of  peace.  In  thought  we  can  almost 
see  or  realize  the  scenes  of  festivities  and  rejoic- 
ings; the  tired  though  joyous  people  wending  their 
way  homeward  through  all  the  long  hours  of  the 
night;  the  participants  of  all  this  remembered  it  to 
their  dying  days  and  were  never  tired  of  reciting  it 
to  their  children  and  grandchildren. 

The  order  or  proclamation  referred  to  above  was  in 
part  as  follows: 

The  commander-in-chief  far  from  endeavoring-  to  stifle  the 
feelings  of  joy  in  liis  own  hosom,  ofi^ers  his  most  cordial  con- 
gratulations on  the  occasion,  to  all  the  officers  of  every  denomi- 
nation, to  all  the  troops  of  the  United  States  in  general,  and 
in  particular  to  those  gallant  and  deserving  men  who  have 
resolved  to  defend  the  rights  of  their  invaded  country  so  long 
as  the  war  should  continne ;  for  these  are  the  men  who  ought 
to  he  considered  as  the  pride  and  boast  of  the  American  army 


148  History  of  Marlborough. 

and  who,  crowned  with  well-earned  laurels,  may  soon  witlidraw 
from  the  field  of  glory  to  the  more  tranquil  walks  of  civil  life. 
While  the  General  recollects  the  almost  infinite  variety  of 
scenes  through  which  we  have  passed  Avith  a  mixture  of  pleasure^ 
astonishment  and  gratitude  —  while  he  contemplates  the  pros- 
pect before  him  with  rapture  —  he  cannot  help  wishing  that 
all  the  brave  men,  of  whatever  condition  they  may  be,  who  have 
shared  in  the  toils  and  dangers  of  affecting  this  glorious  revo- 
lution, of  rescuing  millions  from  the  hand  of  oppression,  and 
of  laying  the  foundation  of  a  great  empire,  might  he  impressed 
with  a  proper  idea  of  the  dignified  part  they  have  been  called 
to  act,  under  the  smiles  of  Providence,  on  the  stage  of  human 
afi'airs;  for  happy,  thrice  happy,  shall  they  be  pronounced  here- 
after, who  have  contributed  anything,  who  have  performed  the 
meanest  office  in  erecting  this  stupendous  fabric  of  Freedom  and 
Empire,  on  the  broad  basis  of  independency ;  who  have  assisted 
in  protecting  the  rights  of  human  nature,  and  estal)lishing  an 
asylum  for  the  poor  and  oppressed  of  all  nations  and  re- 
ligions. 

The  new  building  spoken  of,  sometimes  called  the 
public  building  and  the  temple,  was  a  large  temporary 
building  that  Washington  erected  for  the  officers  to 
worship  in  on  the  Sabbath  and  for  public  meetings 
and  town  purposes.  It  was  near  and  south  of  Snake 
Hill  in  the  Town  of  New  "Windsor.  There  was  no 
large  public  building  in  the  town  of  New  Windsor  or 
in  Newburgh  suitable  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
army  in  this  respect.  The  location  was  central ;  a  part 
of  the  army  was  encamped  to  the  west  of  it ;  the  ruins 
of  their  fireplaces  are  still  to  be  seen.  It  was  here 
that  many  great  matters  of  importance  in  connection 
with  the  close  of  the  war  occurred. 


z^^^^ei^^-^^^^ 


LC-y^ 


fe 


CHAPTER  V. 

Precinct  and  Town  Meetings  and  Records. 

At  a  precinct  meeting  held  at  the  house  of  Captain  Jonathan 
Hasbrouck  for  the  precinct  of  Newburgh.  The  first  Tuesday 
in  April  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred 
and  sixty-three  according  to  an  act  of  Assembly  for  that  pur- 
jwse.  Samuel  Sands,  Clerk;  Capt.  Jonathan  Hasbrouck,  Super- 
visor; Eichard  Harker,  John  AYindfield,  Samuel  Wiatt,  x\ssess- 
ors;  David  Gedney,  Constable;  Henry  Smith,  Collector;  Joseph 
Oedney,  Benjamin  Woolsey,  Poor  Masters ;  John  ]\IcCrary,  John 
Wandal,  Burras  Holms,  Isaac  Fowler,  Um})hrey  Merrit,  Thomas 
AVoolsey,  Path  ]\Iasters;  Xathan  Purdy,  Isaac  Fowler,  Fence 
Viewers  &  Appraisers  of  Dammage. 

Lenard  Smith  chose  to  collect  the  quit  rent  the  patten  he  now 
lives  on.  Then  adjourned  to  the  house  of  Capt.  Jonathan  Has- 
brouck. 

The  house  of  Capt.  Jonathan  Hasbrouck  whore  the  meeting 
Avas  held  is  the  present  Washington  Head(|uarters. 


At  a  precinct  meeting  held  at  the  house  of  Capt.  Jonathan 
Hasl)rouck  for  the  precinct  of  Xewburgh  the  first  Tuesday  in 
April  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
sixty-four  according  to  an  Act  of  Assembly. 

Samuel  Sands,  Clerk;  Louis  Dubois,  Supervisor;  Xehemiah 
Denton,  Henry  Terbush,  Peter  Ostrander,  Assessors ;  Samuel 
AVindslow,  Constable  and  Collector.  Xehemiah  Denton  security 
for  Samuel  Windslow  for  collecting  and  paying  and  the  tax 
that  laid  on  the  precinct  of  Xew])urgh  for  the  year  1764. 
Danniel  Thurston,  Michael  Demott,  Poor  ]\Iasters ;  Cornelius 
AVood,  ]\Iartin  "Wygant,  Lenard  Smith,  Henry  Sinith,  Senior, 
Gilljer  Denton,  Edward  Halleck,  Benjamin  Carpenter,  Path 
Masters;  Samuel  Sprage,  Henry  Smith,  Jeliiel  Clark,  David 
Purdy,  Fence  Viewers  &  Appraisers  of  Damage ;  Isaac  Fowler, 
Pounder. 

Then  adjourned  to  the  house  of  Capt.  Jonatlian  Hasbrouck 


At  a  precinct  meeting  held  at  the  house  of  Capt.  Jonathan 
Hasl)rouck  for  the  precinct  of  ^ewburgh,  the  first  Tuesday  in 

[140] 


150  History  of  Maelboeough. 


April,  17 Go,  and  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  sixty-five,  according  to  an  act  of  Assembly. 

Sanuiel  Sands,  Clerk;  John  Wandal,  Supervisor;  Xehemiah 
Denton,  Henry  Terbush,  William  Thomson,  Assessors;  Henry 
Smith,  Senior,  Collector;  Markas  Ostrander  and  Danniel 
Kodgers,  Overseers  of  the  Poor;  Samuel  Sands,  Path  Master 
fro'ii  Cornelius  Woods  to  the  Wallkill  precinct;  Jolni  Wandal, 
Path  ^Master  for  Xe\vl)urii-h  to  work  to  the  westward  as  far  as 
Cornelius  Woods;  Xehemiah  Denton.  Path  blaster  from  Albert- 
son's gate  northward  as  far  as  the  Germans  patent  extends  and 
also  the  New  AVallkill  Poad  to  William's  meadow;  John  Ter- 
peny  from  AVilliams  road  to  the  Xew  Paltz  road  ;  Arthur  Smith 
from  the  German  patent  east  to  David  Purdy's  patent ;  Isaih 
Purdy  from  David  Purdy  for  Purdy's  Patent;  Joshua  Conklin 
for  David  Purdys  Patent  as  far  as  the  Jews  Creek;  Lewis  Du- 
bois, Path  Master  from  the  Jews  Creek  as  far  as  Woolsey  Patent; 
Samuel  Merrit,  Path  Master  ontlie  new  road  from  Lewis  Du- 
bois' mill  to  the  Walter  Dubois  land ;  Lattin  Carpenter,  Path 
Master  on  the  new  road  from  AValter  Duljois'  land  to  the  Ten 
Stone  meadow ;  John  Belfield,  Path  Master  from  the  above 
mentioned  road  to  the  river  road;  John  AVoolsey,  Path  Master 
from  Woolsey's  Patent  to  Susannah  Bond's ;  ]\lichael  Wygant 
l^ith  Master  on  that  road  by  Yrian  Wygant's. 

Voted  that  there  be  a  ])ublic  town  pound  erected  for  the  use 
of  tlie  Geruum  Patent  or  precinct  near  the  house  of  ilartin 
Wygant. 

Joshua    (*onklin   and    Arthur    Smith,    Fence   A'iewers. 

Isaac  Fowler,  Pounder. 

Then  the  meeting  adjourned  to  the  house  of  C*apt.  Jonathan 
Hasbrouck. 


At  a  precinct  meeting  held  at  the  house  of  Jonathan  Has- 
brouck in  and  for  the  precinct  of  Xewburgh  this  first  Tuesday 
in  April  A.  D.  1766. 

Joseph  Sands,  Chosen  Clerk ;  Benjamin  Carpenter,  Super- 
visor; Xehemiah  Denton,  William  Thomson,  Henry  Terbush, 
Assessors;  Silas  Wood,  Constable  and  Collector;  John  Woolsey, 
Benjamin  Smith,  Overseers  of  the  Poor;  Silas  Wood,  Path 
]\Easter  from  the  north  side  of  the  German  ])atent  to  the  Wall- 
kill  ]irecinct;  Xehemiah  Denton,  Path  Master  on  the  new  road 
from  his  landing  to  the  house  of  John  Simpson ;  Jonas  Totten, 
Path  Master  on  the  said  road  from  John  Simpson  to  the  Wall- 
kill  precinct;  Jehoel  Clark,  Path  ]\raster  for  tbe  German  Patent 


Precinct  and  Town  Meetings  and  Records.    151 


to  Isaac  Fowler  bridge;  Xeliemiah  Fowler.  Path  Master  from 
Isaac  Fowler  bridge  to  the  Jews  Creek ;  (laljriel  ]\Ierrit.  Fatli 
Master  from  the  Jews  Creek  to  Lewis  Dubois  northern  line; 
Eichard  Harker,  Path  Master  from  Lewis  Dubois  northern  line 
to  the  Paltz  precinct ;  Daniel  Sniffin,  Path  Master  on  the  new 
road  as  far  as  Cropseys  l)rook ;  Umi)hrey  ^Merrit,  Path  Master 
from  Henry  Cropsey's  brook  to  ]\Iiclieal  AVygant's  northern 
line  and  from  the  Kings  road  from  Gilbert  Merrit's  to  John 
Simpson's;  George  Stanton,  Path  blaster  from  ^licheal 
Wygant's  northern  line  to  Samuel  ]\Ierrit*s  mill,  then  beginning 
to  the  northward  of  the  said  mill  to  Benjamin  Carpenter's  line; 
AVilliam  Woolsey,  Path  blaster  from  Benjamin  Carpenter's  line 
to  the  ten  stone  meadow ;  Jonathan  Ostrander  from  the  ten 
stone  meadow  to  the  Wallkill  road ;  Urian  ]\Iackey  from  Cavilears 
line  to  the  King's  highway ;  Martin  Wiatt  and  Lattin  Carpenter, 
Fence  Viewers ;  Martin  Wiatt,  Pound  Keeper  for  the  German 
Patent ;  Lewis  Dubois,  Pound  keeper  for  the  rest  of  the  precinct ; 
Daniel  Gedney,  Path  Master  from  the  landing  of  John  Wandel 
to  the  estate  of  Ilecser  Gidney,  deceased.  William  Whitehead 
to  keep  one  child  of  Poselo  at  $:^.ll  per  week.  Jolm  Fluwelling 
to  keep  one  child  of  Roselo  at  $2.11  per  week.  Each  one  to 
find  the  said  children  in  cloathes  for  the  year.  Lephilet  Piatt, 
Samuel  AMatt  and  Cornelius  Wood  were  voted  in  Commissioners 
for  Highways  but  the  old  Commissioners  did  not  refuse  to 
serve. 

The  Town  meeting  adjourned  to  Xehemiah  Denton. 


At  a  precinct  meeting  held  at  the  house  of  Xehemiah  Denton 
for  the  precinct  of  Xewburgh  the  first  Tuesday  in  April  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty-seven 
according  to  an  act  of  Assembly. 

Leonard  Smith.  Chosen  Clerk;  Lewis  Dubois,  Supervisor; 
Isaac  Bellknapt,  Peter  Ostrander,  Elijah  Lewis,  Assessors ; 
Silas  Wood,  Constable  and  to  take  fees  from  Arthur  Smith's 
house ;  John  Bellknapt  —  security  for  Silas  Wood  performing 
and  discharging  of  all  executions  that  he  is  intrusted  with  for 
the  year  expiring ;  Cornelius  Wood  —  Collector ;  Isaac  Bell- 
knapt, security  for  Cornelius  Wood  for  collecting  and  paying 
all  the  tax  that  is  laid  on  the  precinct  of  Xewburgh  for  the 
year  17()T;  Isaiah  Purdy,  Gilbert  Denton,  Overseers  of  the  Poor. 

Cornelius  Wood,  Path  :\raster  for  the  Wallkill  road;  Henry 
Smith  from  AlcCrary's  to  the  extent  of  the  German  patent; 
SaniTicl    AViatt   from    Gidnevs   to   AVandal's   landiu"-;   Xeliemiah 


152  History  of  Marlborough, 


Denton  on  the  new  road  from  his  hmding  to  the  widow  Sim- 
son's;  Done  Tnilye  from  Simson's  on  said  road  to  the  end  of 
the  precinct ;  "William  Sent  on  the  new  road  in  the  nmie  of 
Jonathan  Ostrander;  Joseph  Gidney  and  his  tenant  to  work 
on  a  road  from  his  saw  mill  to  Sand's  landing  and  not  to  be 
compelled  to  Avork  on  any  other  road;  Morris  Flowweling  to 
work  on  the  road  from  his  honse  to  the  King's  road  and  not  to 
be  compelled  to  work  on  any  other  road;  David  Smith  on  the 
Five  patentees  so  far  as  the  school  house  bridge;  David  Purdy 
so  far  as  to  half  the  bridge  by  Isaac  Fowler's,  and  Isaac  Fowler, 
Henry  Terbush  and  Edward  Halleck  on  the  main  road;  Daniel 
Ivniffin,  jMichael  Wygant,  Samuel  Merrit,  Latting  Carpenter, 
Urian  ^lackey,  John  Quick  —  all  path  masters ;  Daniel  Thurston 
and  Jeliiel  Clark  —  Fence  viewers;  Martin  Wygant  —  Pound 
keeper  for  the  German  patent ;  Daniel  Denton  —  Pound  keeper 
for  the  rest  of  the  precinct. 

Voted  and  resolved  by  this  meeting  that  Lemmuel  Conklin 
have  and  keep  one  child  of  Poswells  now  on  the  precinct  for 
the  insuing  year  and  to  have  three  shillings  for  every  week  for 
keeping  the  said  child  during  the  said  term  of  one  year  and  at 
the  end  of  the  year  to  have  an  indenture  for  the  said  child  until 
it  arrives  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  and  to  keep  the  pre- 
cinct from  any  charge  by  the  said  child  after  the  expiration  of 
one  year  from  this  date,  and  if  possible  to  learn  the  child  to 
read  and  the  l>lacksmith  trade  and  to  dismiss  him  in  a  customary 
manner.  It  is  further  voted  and  resolved  that  iSTathaniel 
Conklin  keep  one  other  child  of  the  said  Eoswells  as  above  paid. 

Joshuah  Sands  and  Henry  Smith  chosen  assessors  of  the  quit 
•rent  on  the  German  patent  and  John  Wandal  —  Collector  of 
the  same. 

Xehemiah  Carpenter  and  Eobert  Batey  assessors  of  the  cpit 
rent  on  Bond's  patent  and  Isaac  Bellknapt  —  Collector  of  the 
same. 

The  meeting  adjourned  to  the  house  of  Xehemiah  Denton's 
the  first  Tuesday  in  April  in  the  year  ITCxS. 

The  House  of  Xehemiah  Denton  was  on  the  premises  now 
owned  bv  James  A.  P.  Eandell. 


At  a  precinct  meeting  held  at  the  house  of  Xehemiah  Denton 
in  and  for  the  precinct  of  Xewlnirgh  the  first  Tuesday  in  April 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty- 
eight  according  to  an  act  of  Assembly. 


Precinct  and  Town  Meetings  and  Records,    153 

Leonard  Smith,  Chosen  Clerk ;  Edward  Halleck,  Supervisor ; 
Arthur  Smith,  Latting  Carpenter,  Marcus  Ostrander,  Assessors. 

It  is  agreed  on  by  Stephen  Case,  Mioajah  Lewis  —  candidates 
for  constable  that  whoever  of  them  is  chosen  constal)le  for  the 
year  expiring  that  they  will  appoint  two  deputies  to  serve  under 
them  such  as  shall  be  agreeable  to  the  inhabitants.  Such 
deputies  to  have  the  full  fees  for  Avhat  they  serve  and  shall  be 
obliged  to  give  to  the  constable  security  for  their  performance 
and  such  constable  so  deputized  shall  l^e  obliged  to  serve  at  his 
town  in  tending  our  general  court. 

Stephen  Case,  Constable  and  Collector;  Gabriel  Merrit, 
security  for  Stephen  Case's  performance;  Benjamin  Carpenter, 
Bordwin  Terpeny,  Overseers  of  the  Poor;  Jonathan  Bellknapt 
chosen  path  master  from  Wallkill  precinct  to  Little  Britain  road 
near  the  Widow  McCrary's ;  Benjamin  Birdsall,  path  master 
from  the  said  Little  Britain  road  to  ^"ewburgh  dock,  also 
northerly  as  far  as  the  German  patent  extends  or  to  the  l)ridge 
near  Elijah  Carman's  and  to  include  the  said  bridge  and  no 
further;  IMorris  Flowelling,  path  master  from  Xehemiah 
Denton's  dock  on  the  new  road  as  far  as  the  widow  Simson's ; 
Joseph  Kilor  chosen  path  master  from  llie  said  widow  Simson's 
to  the  extent  of  the  precinct ;  Jehiel  Clark  chosen  path  master 
from  the  said  bridge  near  Elijah  Carman's  on  the  pu1)lic  road 
as  far  as  Isaac  Fowler's,  also  from  the  King's  road  to  the  river; 
Henry  Terluish  chosen  path  master  from  Isaac  Fowler's  to  the 
bridge  over  the  Jew's  Creek ;  Richard  Woolsey,  path  master  from 
Lewis  Dubois's  bridge  along  by  Samuel  ^Merrit's  mill  to  Latting 
Town  line ;  Stephen  Sayles  from  the  King's  road  on  the  new 
road  from  Gilbert  Purdy's  to  the  extent  of  Samuel  Clark's  land ; 
Henry  Cropsey  from  Clark's  line  to  the  cross  road  at  Jerial 
Ehodes's;  Umphery  Merrit  from  the.  said  cross  road  to  ^lichael 
^Yygant's  northern  line  and  from  Stephen  Case's  to  the  moun- 
tain; Daniel  Gidney,  path  master  on  the  road  from  Gidney 
townd  to  John  Wandal's  on  to  the  King^s  road ;  George  ^lerrit 
to  be  excused  from  working  on  the  King's  road  in  order  to  work 
his  own  road ;  Gabriel  ]\Ierrit,  path  master  from  the  Jew's 
Creek  to  the  upper  side  of  Dubois's  patent;  John  Woolsey  from 
Dubois's  patent  to  Depol's  line ;  Edward  Halleck  on  the  new 
road  from  the  river  to  ten  stone  meadow;  Joseph  Gidney  to 
work  on  his  road  from  his  saw  mill  to  Sand's  landing  —  he  and 
his  tenants  and  excused  from  the  other  roads ;  Daniel  Thurston, 
Isaac  Fowler,  Fence  Viewers;  Benjamin  Smith  chosen  ])ounder 
for  the  German  patent  and  all  adjourning;  Caleb  ^Fcrrit  chosen 
pounder  for  all  the  rest  of  the  precinel. 


154  History  of  Marlborough. 


It  is  voted  and  resolved  that  no  man  in  this  precinct  shall 
let  his  rams  run  at  large  after  the  tenth  day  of  Septemher  next 
until  the  first  day  of  Xovemher  and  if  any  man  should  cut  any 
ram  in  that  time  running  at  large  and  they  should  die,  then 
the  owner  shall  hare  the  loss. 

The  meeting  adjourned  to  the  house  of  N'ehemiah  Denton 
the  iirst  Tuesday  of  April  ITGO. 


At  a  precinct  meeting  held  at  tlie  house  of  Xehemiah  Denton's 
in  and  for  the  precinct  of  Xewhurgh  the  first  Tuesday  in  April 
in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty- 
nine,  according  to  an  act  of  Assembly. 

Leonard  Smith,  Chosen  Clerk;  Latting  (^arpenter,  Super- 
visor ;  Eurian  Mackey,  Calol)  Merrit,  Dene  Trulye,  Assessors ; 
Stephen  Case,  Constable  and  Collector;  Gill)ert  Purdy,  Joseph 
Morev,  Overseers  of  the  Poor;  Leonard  Smith.  (*lerk  for  the 
poor  and  to  have  eight  shillings  for  serving. 

Voted  and  resolved  l)y  this  meeting  that  Leonard  Smith  shall 
sign  tlie  petition  directed  to  Charles  Dewitt  and  George  Clinton 
in  behalf  of  the  freeholders  and  inhabitants  of  this  precinct. 

John  Bellknapt  chosen  path  master  from  the  Wallkill  pre- 
cinct to  Cornelius  Wood's;  Benjamin  Birdsall,  path  master  as 
usual,  including  Gidney  townd  ;  Burrough  Holmes,  path  master 
from  the  l)ridge  liy  Elijah  Carman's  to  the  school  house  bridge, 
including  half  the  bridge  and  from  the  King's  road  to  the  river; 
Xathan  Purdy  from  tlu-  school  house  bridge  to  Isaac  Fowler's 
bridge  including  half  the  said  l)ridge;  Daniel  Eudgard,  path 
master  from  Isaac  Fowler's  including  half  the  l)ridge  to  the 
l)ridge  l)y  Henry  Terl)ush's  including  half  said  bridge ;  John 
Lester,  path  master  from  Terbuslvs  to  the  north  side  of  Lieu- 
tenant Du])ois's  land  :  John  Woolsey,  path  master  from  Duliois's 
line  to  Halleck's  mill  brook;  Xathaniel  Killsey,  path  master 
from  Halleck's  brook  to  Depol's  line;  Nehemiah  Denton  from 
the  river  to  Gilbert  Denton's  plain;  "William  Foster  from  Den- 
ton's plain  to  the  widow  Simson's ;  Isaac  Carton  from  the  Widow 
Simson's  to  Depol's  road;  Peter  Ostrander  from  said  Depol's 
road  to  Drewwilager's  ;  Daniel  Sniffin  from  Gill)ert  Purdy's  on 
tlie  new  road  as  far  as  Samuel  Clark's  north  line ;  Johonis  Cos- 
man  from  Samuel  Clark's  north  line  to  the  bridge  l)y  Ehodes's 
old  house  including  half  said  l)ridge;  William  Wyg'^nt  from 
said  In-idge  to  the  north  side  of  Tredwell's  land  and  from 
Stephen   Case's   to  the  mountain :  John   Scot  from   Tredwell's 


Precinct  and  Town  Meetings  and  Records.    155 


north  line  to  the  mill  and  from  Lieutenant  Dnhois's  bridge  to 
Benjamin  Carpenter's  land;  Latting  Carpenter  from  thence  to 
ten  stone  meadow,  and  from  John  Cavoley's  to  the  old  black- 
smitlvs  shop;  Job  Saint  John  from  Lewis's  dock  to  John 
Cavoley's ;  Eobert  Eveerett  from  ten  stone  meadow  to  the  end 
of  the  Voad ;  ^lartin  Wygant  and  Arthur  Smith  —  Fence  View- 
ers;  Martin  AVygant  —  Pounder  for  German  patent  and  all 
adjourning :  Arthur  Smith  —  Pounder  for  all  the  rest  of  the 
precinct. 

Voted  at  the  annual  meeting  for  the  precinct  of  Xew1)urgh 
according  to  an  act  of  Assembly  for  the  support  of  the  pooi, 
the  sum  of  thirty  pounds  for  this  present  year  expiring. 

The  meeting  adjourned  to  the  house  of  Xehemiah  Denton  the 
first  Tuesday  in  April,  IT  TO. 


At  a  precinct  meeting  held  at  the  house  of  Xehemiah  Denton 
for  the  precinct  of  Xewlmrgh,  the  first  Tuesday  in  April  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy 
according  to  an  act  of  Assem])ly  for  that  purpose,  the  following 
officers  were  chosen. 

Leonard  Smith.  Clerk;  Latting  Carpenter,  Supervisor; 
Abijah  Perkins,  Samuel  Wiatt.  Peter  Ostrander,  Assessors; 
Stephen  Case  —  Constable  and  Collector ;  Samuel  Denton, 
Samuel  Stratton,  Eichard  Woolsey,  Commissioners  of  the  roads ; 
Jehiel  Clark  and  Leonard  Smith  —  Fence  viewers ;  ]\Lirtin 
Wygant  and  Arthur  Smith  —  Pounders ;  Stephen  Case.  Ben- 
jamin Birdsal,  Overseers  of  the  Poor;  Leonard  Smith,  Clerk  for 
the  Poor. 

Voted  that  twenty  pounds  he  raised  in  the  precinct  of  Xew- 
burgh  for  the  use  of  the  poor. 

Voted  the  money  that  Gilbert  Denton  expended  for  the  poor 
shall  be  first  paid  out  of  the  money,  that  is  raised  this  present 
year  in  the  jireciuct. 

Voted  that  the  Overseers  of  the  Poor  have  authority  agreo- 
al)le  to  the  act  of  Assembly  for  that  purpose,  to  find  out  all  jioor 
children  and  straggling  persons  in  order  to  keep  the  precinct 
from  needless  charges. 

Voted  that  four  ])ounds  seventeen  shillings  shall  1)e  paid  to 
Xathaniel  Wiatt  for  jMargaret  Willson  lying  in  at  his  house 
and  his  expense  out  of  the  first  fine  money,  and  if  no  fine  money 
shall  arise  to  be  paid  —  out  of  the  money  that  is  raised  by  vote. 

Jonathan  Bellkna])t.  Overseer  of  the  road  from  Wallkill  pre- 
cinct  to   Cornelius  Wood's;  John  INForril   from  said  Wood's  to 


156  History  of  Marlborough. 


Xewburgh  and  northward  alontf  tlie  King's  road  including  tlio 
bridge  by  Elijali  Carman's  including  all  Gidnev  townd  road  to 
the  landing  by  John  Wandal's;  John  Stratton  from  tbe  bridge 
by  Elijah  Carman's  to  the  school  bridge  including  half  of  the 
bridge  and  from  the  river  to  the  King's  road,  and  westward  on 
the  new  road  till  it  meets  with  the  new  road  to  the  AVallkill  road 
by  Wallis's  meadow;  Nathan  Purdy  from  the  school  house  bridge 
to  Isaac  Fowler's  bridge  including  half  the  said  bridge;  Caleb 
!Merritt  from  Isaac  Fowler's  including  half  the  bridge  to  the 
bridge  by  Henry  Tei-bush's  including  half  the  said  bridge; 
Lewis  Dubois  from  Terbush's  bridge  including  half  said  bridge 
to  the  north  side  of  said  Dubois  land;  John  AYoolsey  from 
Dubois's  line  to  Halleck's  mill  bi-ook;  Xathaniel  Kilsey  from 
Halleck's  brook  to  Depol's  line;  Xchemiah  Denton  from  the 
river  to  Gilbert  Denton's  plain;  William  Foster  from  said 
Denton's  plain  to  the  widow  Simson's ;  Dene  Trulye  from  the 
widow  Simson's  to  the  depols  road ;  Gideon  Ostrander  from  said 
depols  r(^ad  to  Drewwi lager's ;  Stephen  Wood  from  Gilbert 
Purdy's  on  tbe  new  road  as  far  as  Samuel  Cdark's  north  line; 
Henry  Cropsey  from  Samuel  CUark's  north  line  to  the  bridge 
by  Rhodes's  old  house  including  half  tbe  bridge;  Samuel 
Merritt  from  said  bridge  to  the  north  side  of  Tredwell's  land 
and  from  Stephen  Case's  to  the  mountain ;  Joseph  ]\rorey  from 
Ti'odwell's  north  line  to  the  mill  and  from  Lewis  Dubois's 
l)ridge  to  Benjamin  Carpenter's  land ;  Right  C*ar}ienter  from 
thence  to  ten  stone  meadow  and  from  John  C^avoley's  to  the  old 
Idacksmith  shop ;  Zadock  Lewis  from  Lewis's  dock  to  John 
Cavoley's ;  Eleazer  Frayer  from  ten  stone  meadow  to  the  end 
of  the  said  road ;  Francis  Hopkins  from  the  head  of  ten  stone 
meadow,  eastward  to  Jonathan  Hicks's  house;  Enrian  Mackey 
from  Mr.  Brush's  lodge  house  to  said  Jonathan  Hicks'  house. 
The  meeting  adjourned  to  the  house  of  Xehemiab  Denton 
on  the  first  Tuesday  in  April  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  ITTl. 


At  a  precinct  meeting  held  at  the  house  of  Xehemiah  Denton 
for  the  precinct  of  Xewburgh,  the  first  Tuesday  in  April  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy-one, 
according  to  an  act  of  Assembly  for  that  jnirpose. 

Leonard  Smith,  Clerk;  Latting  Carpenter.  Supervisor 
Abijah  Perkins,  David  Gedney,  Robert  Everett,  Assessors ; 
Stephen    Case,    Constal)le    and    Collector;    Humphery    Merrit, 


Precinct  and  Town  Meetings  and  Records.    157 

Security  for  Stephen  Case's  performance  of  the  office  of  Con- 
stable and  Collector;  Stephen  Case  and  Benjamin  Birdsal, 
Overseers  of  the  Poor. 

Voted  that  these  following-  rules  shall  be  observed  by  the 
Overseers  of  the  Poor. 

Rule  1st. —  As  an  encouragement  to  all  succeeding  Poor 
Masters  or  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  the  more  faithfully  to  dis- 
charge their  duty  in  their  office  by  pre\enting  all  unnecessary 
charges  and  needless  costs  on  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  pre- 
cinct and  also  as  a  reward  for  their  good  service, —  we  freely 
vote  them  the  sum  of  one  pound,  ten  shillings  each  to  be  paid 
out  of  the  money  voted  to  be  raised  for  the  use  of  the  poor,  or 
out  of  such  fines  as  may  l)e  raised  for  the  same  use. 

Rule  2nd. —  That  all  indentures  on  poor  children  that  have 
or  shall  be  bound  I)y  the  Poor  Masters  of  said  precinct,  shall  be 
lodged  with  the  Clerk  of  the  Poor  for  said  precinct,  and  also 
all  other  accounts  and  waitings  whatsoever  relative  to  the  poor, 
shall  in  like  manner  be  lodged  as  above  said.  That  any  persons 
at  all  times  may  know  where  to  re]:)air  in  case  of  need. 

Rule  3rd. —  That  no  Poor  Master  for  the  time  being  shall  for 
any  cause  whatever  relieve  or  cause  to  be  relieved  or  mode 
chargeable  any  person  or  persons  whatsoever,  that  may  by  law 
be  transported,  or  any  private  person,  can  be  made  accountable 
for  according  to  law  on  pain  of  perjury  and  making  themselves 
liable  to  pay  all  sucli  charges  and  forfeit  to  the  use  of  the  poor, 
twenty  shillings  and  charges  of  prosecution  to  be  recovered  be- 
fore any  of  his  majesty's  Justices  of  the  Peace;  nevertheless 
one  half  shall  go  to  the  complainer  who  shall  prosecute  the 
same  to  effect. 

Ride  ith.—  That  all  Poor  :\rasters  shall  within  four  days  after 
the  expiration  of  their  office  settle  with  the  Poor's  Clerk  of  said 
precinct  and  have  an  entry  made  there  of  all  their  proceedings 
for  the  year  past;  a  first,  what  moneys  they  have  received  and 
what  is  assessed  and  not  received ;  secondly,  how  they  have 
applied  said  moneys ;  thirdly,  what  apprentices  they  have  bound 
out  and;  lastly,  what  poor  they  have  relieved,  and  by  what 
authority  they  did  tlie  same. 

7?;//*^'  5///. —  That  no  Poor  Master  shall  pay  any  accounts  to 
Doctors  or  any  other  person  or  persons,  Avhatsoever,  in  behalf 
of  the  poor,  unless  the  accounts  be  first  sworn  to  be  a  true  and 
just  account  against  said  precinct. 

Rule  6tli. —  That  at  every  Towna  meeting  by  public  advertise- 
ment, the  last  or  old  Overseers  of  the  Poor  shall  notify  all  per- 
sons that  have  any  accounts  or  demaml  against  said  precinct 


158  History  of  Marlborough. 


to  produce  them  attested  to  at  a  certain  place  and  time  not 
exceedino-  four  days  from  tliat  time,  tlien  and  there  to  receive 
their  just  dues. 

Eulr  7 til. —  That  all  old  Poor  Masters  give  up  to  their  suc- 
cessors all  money  that  lies  in  their  hands  unapplied  within  four 
days  after  the  new  ones  are  chosen  on  pain  of  prosecution; 
therefore  with  all  those  accounts,  receipts  and  writings  trans- 
acted, whatsoever,  to  he  lodged  with  the  Poor's  Clerk,  &c. 

Rule  8th. —  That  at  the  expiration  of  the  Poor  Master's 
office,  they  shall  call  on  the  Constahle  of  said  precinct  who  shall 
give  said  Poor  Masters  all  moneys  he  has  received  for  fines,  for 
the  use  of  the  ]ioor,  before  they  settle  with  their  successors  and 
if  said  Constable  is  suspected  by  them  of  injustice,  then  the 
said  Constable  shall  purge  himself  by  oath  before  any  of  his 
Majesty's  Justices  of  the  Peace. 

Ride  9th. — •  As  a  reward  to  the  Poor's  Clerk  of  said  precinct 
for  his  service  and  to  defray  his  expense  for  finding  books  for 
the  use  of  the  poor  yearly  one  pound,  ten  shillings  out  of  the 
poor  money,  we  freely  give  him. 

Samuel  Denton,  Samuel  Stratton  and  Pichard  Woolsey,  Com- 
missioners of  the  Eoads ;  Arthur  Smith  and  Martin  Weagant, 
Pounders  and  Fence  Viewers;  Leonard  Smith,  Poor's  Clerk. 

Voted  that  fifteen  pounds  shall  be  raised  in  the  precinct  for 
the  support  of  the  poor  this  present  year. 

Voted  that  forty  shillings  shall  be  paid  to  Joseph  Kilor  for 
keeping  a  poor  child  by  the  Overseers. 

Jonathan  Bellknapt,  Overseer  of  the  Eoad  from  the  Wall  kill 
precinct  to  Cornelius  Wood's;  Capt.  Jonathan  Hasbrouck  from 
Cornelius  AVood's  to  Newburgh  and  northward  as  far  as  John 
AVandel's;  John  Wandel  from  thence  northerly  to  Carman's 
bridge  including  the  bridge  and  all  Gidney  townd;  Nehemiah 
Denton  from  his  dock  up  the  road  to  Denton's  plain  and  from 
Carman's  bridge  as  far  north  as  to  the  line  of  the  five  patentees ; 
William  Foster  from  Denton's  plain  to  the  l)ridge  by  the  AVidow 
Simson's ;  Dene  Trulye  from  thence  to  the  Depols  road :  Gedion 
Ostrander  from  the  Depols  road  to  Drewwilagers ;  Jehiel  Clark 
from  the  German  line  on  the  south  line  of  the  five  patentees  to 
Isaac  Fowler's  including  half  the  bridge  and  from  the  King's 
road  to  the  river  and  westerly  upon  the  new  road  by 
Stratton's  till  it  meets  with  the  AA^allkill  road  by 
AA^allis's  meadow ;  Caleb  Merrit  from  Isaac  Fowler's  in- 
cluding half  the  bridge  to  the  bridge  hy  Henry  Terliushe's 
mill  including  the  said  bridge ;  Lewis  Dubois'  from  said  bridge 
to  his  north  line;  John  AA'oolsev  from  Lewis  Debois's  north  line 


Precinct  and  Town  Meetings  and  Records.    159 


to  Hallick's  mill  brook;  Xethaniel  Killsey  from  Hallick's  brook 
to  Depols  line;  Annanias  Vollintine  from  the  Cherry  tree  by 
Gilbert  Purdy's  house  to  the  bridge  by  Stephen  Case's  house; 
Samuel  Merritt  from  said  bridge  to  the  north  side  of  TredwelFs 
land  and  from  Stephen  Case's  to  the  mountain  and  likewise,  on 
the  new  road  lately  laid  out ;  Henry  Hide  from  Tredwell's  north 
line  to  the  mill  and  from  Lewis  Debois's  bridge  to  Benjamin 
Carpenter's  land ;  Eichard  Carpenter  from  thence  to  ten  stone 
meadow  and  from  John  Cavoler's  to  the  old  blacksmith  shop; 
Zadock  Lewis  from  Lewis'  dock  to  John  Cavoler's;  William 
Hood  from  ten  stone  meadow  to  the  end  of  the  said  road ; 
William  Martin  from  the  end  of  ten  stone  meadow  eastward 
to  Jonathan  Hick's  house ;  Eurian  Mackey  from  ]\I.  Brush's 
lodge  house  to  the  said  Jonathan  Hicks's  house;  Silas  Purdy 
from  Young's  to  Deyoe's  mill. 

The  meeting  adjourned  to  the  house  of  Arthur  Smith,  the 
first  Tuesday  in  April  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1T75. 


At  a  Town  fleeting  held  at  Henry  Deyo's  on  April  ye  7  IT 73 
for  the  precinct  of  New  Marlborough  according  to  the  act  of 
Assembly  for  the  province  of  New  York. 
In    Meeting    assembled. 
Chosen 

Clerk.  Abijah  Perkins,  For  precinct  and  poor;  Supervisor, 
Lewis  Dubois;  Assessors,  John  Younge,  Jacob  Wood,  Marcus 
Ostrander;  Poor  Masters,  Robert  Meritt,  Joseph  ]\rt»ry;  Com- 
missioners, Lewis  Dubois,  Eichard  Woolsey,  Durnee  Eelyee ; 
Pounder,  Silas  Purdy;  Fence  Viewers,  Caleb  Merritt,  Eichard 
Carpenter;  Path  Masters,  Gabriel  Merritt,  James  Quiml)y, 
Jacob  Wood,  Samuel  Merritt,  Henry  Deyo;  Constaljle,  AVilliam 
]\rartin ;  Security,  Jeremiah  ]\rackey ;  Path  Masters,  John 
Dufhed,  Silas  Purdy,  Joseph  Mory,  Latin  Canienter,  William 
]\Iartin,  Absolom  Case,  Gedion  Ostrander,  William  Gee,  John 
Knowlton,  Philip  Place. 

Voted  That  Ten  pounds  b(^  raised  for  the  use  of  said  precinct 
the  present  year. 

Voted  That  Eams  shall  not  run  at  Large  from  first  of  August 
to  the  first  of  November. 

1st  District,  Caleb  Merritt  line  on  the  road  that  comes  from 
AVolver  Eker's  to  Lewis  Dubois  North  Line. 

2d  District,  at  Dubois's  North  line  to  run  to  l^atintown  Eoad. 

3rd  District,  and  from  [ho  last  mentioned  to  the  Paltz  Line. 


160  History  of  Marlborough. 


4th  District,  from  Elijah  Lewis  Dock  to  John  Cavilly's  Line. 

5th  District^  to  run  from  the  hist  mentioned  to  Jo.  Hicks's 
westward  and  south  to  C'apt.  (lyles's  North  Line. 

6th  District,  from  the  hist  mentioned  soutliward  to  the  river 
road. 

Tth  District,  to  l)ei,n]i  at  the  Xew  l)ri<lge  Ijy  Sihis  Purdy's 
Mill  to  run  southard  to  Dr.  Perkins's  south  line. 

8th  District,  to  begin  at  the  last  mentioned  to  run  to  Xew- 
burgh. 

9th  District,  to  begin  at  the  Jew's  House  to  run  westward  to 
J.  Eussel's. 

10th  District,  to  heg'in  l^elow  Sani'l  Townsend  to  run  west 
out  of  the  precinct. 

11th  District,  to  l)egin  at  Devo's  Bridge  to  run  to  Xathl. 
Quimby's   House. 

12th  District,  fi-om  Silas  Purdv's  ^IIW  Xorthard  to  Tvatintown 
Poad. 

13th  District,  from  ^fr.  Brashes  Log  house  to  Jonath" 
Hicks's. 

14th  District,  from  the  last  mentioned  to  the  ])ine  Swamp. 

15th  District,  still  westward  to  the  precinct  Line. 

16th  District,  from  the  Platter  Kill  to  Capt.  Terepanney's. 

17th  District,  still  Southward  to  jSTewburgh  Line. 

18th  District,  to  liegin  on  y^  road  from  Latintown  on  R. 
Everitt's  line  southard  to  newlnirgh  Line  added  to  the  6th 
District  from  the  King-'s  road  at  C^apt.  Woolsey  to  the  top  of 
the  first  mountain  at  the  ash  Swamp. 

19th  District,  from  John  Duffield  to  the  6tli  District  west. 

20th  District,  from  the  last  District  to  the  Xewburgh  Road 
at  Mr.  McGmin. 

21st  District,  from  Tiatintown  road  to  the  Paltz  Line. 

CALEB  MERRITT, 
LEWIS  DUBOIS, 
RICHARD    AYOOLSEY, 
JOSEPH  MORY. 

Commissioners. 


At  the  annual  Town  meeting  for  the  precinct  of  Xew  Marl- 
borough held  on  April  the  6,  1TT3.,  was  chosen  by  plurality  of 
votes 

Abijah  Perkins,  Clerk  for  precinct  and  poor;  Lewis  Dubois, 
Supervisor;  William  Martin,  Constable  and  Collector;  Joseph 


Precinct  and  Town  Meetings  and  Records.    161 

Mory,  Jeremiah  Maekey,  Eob*.  Everitt,  Assessors;  Security  for 
said  Constable,  Jeremiah  Maekey ;  William  Martin,  Silas  Purely, 
Poor  Masters. 

Voted  that  there  shall  be  two  pounds  the  one  at  Silas  Purdy's 
the  other  at  Eol:)ert  Everitt. 

Eobert  Everitt,  Pounder;  Silas  Purdy,  Eobert  Everitt,  Fence 
viewers;  David  Merritt,  Peter  Purdy,  Peter  Cavilly,  "W™. 
"Woolsey.  Ei'd  Carpenter,  John  Scott,  Humphrey  Merritt,  John 
Bond,  Jacob  Eussel,  John  Quick,  Silas  Purdy,  Jeremiah  Maekey, 
Israel  Tompkins,  John  Frayer,  Henry  Lockwood,  Durnee  Eelyee, 
Henry  Cronk,  Path  Masters. 

Voted  that  twenty-five  pounds  be  raised  for  the  use  of  the 
poor  &  one  pound  for  a  pair  of  Stocks  to  be  kept  at  Silas 
Purdy's  who  is  to  be  accounta])le  to  the  precinct  for  the  same 
if  Damaged  or  Destro3'ed  also  that  rams  shall  not  run  at  Large 
or  suffer  the  like  penalties  as  voted  the  last  Year  if  suffered 
to  run. 


First  Election  After  Marlborough  Became  a  Town. 

At  the  Annual  Town  JMeeting  of  the  town  of  New  ]\Iarl- 
borough  held  according  to  law  at  the  house  of  David  Merritt  on 
the  first  day  of  April,  Anno  Domini,  1788,  was  then  and  there 
chosen : 

Ebenezer  Foote,  Moderator;  Benjamin  Ely,  Town  Clerk; 
Anning  Smith,  Supervisor,  Poors  Ck.  and  Treasurer ;  Jurion 
Maekey,  Benjamin  Carpenter,  Peter  Easterly,  Assessors;  John 
Woolsey,  Christopher  Ostrander,  Collectors ;  Eobert  Blair,  David 
Ostrander,  Jun'".,  Constables;  David  Merritt,  Daniel  Hasbrouck, 
Poor  Masters ;  Eeuben  Drake,  Leonard  Smith,  Nathaniel  Kelsey, 
Commissioners  of  Highways;  Jonathan  Bro-wm,  Christopher 
Ostrander,  David  Merritt,  Pounders;  David  Merritt,  David 
Ostrander,  Eeuben  Drake,  Abraham  Losson,  Fence  Viewers. 

Hoggs  and  rams  continued  as  last  year. 

Voted  that  Anning  Smith,  Eeuben  Drake  and  Benjamin  Ely 
to  audit  the  poor  accounts  and  levy  money  by  tax  on  the  town 
for  that  purpose. 

Path  Masters  and  their  lott  of  road  numbered  and  respectively 
annexed  to  each  of  their  names. 

No  No 

Henry  T.   Bush 1    Anning  Smith    4 

Ebenezer  Foote 2   Benjamin  Townsend   ....  5 

John  Youngs    3   Jonathan  Brown    6 

6 


162 


History  of  Marlborough. 


No 

Andrew  Cropsy 7 

John  Bond    8 

Benjamin  Hallock    9 

Solomon   Fowler   10 

John  Scott    11 

Elezer  Freer   12 

Christopher    Ostrander.  .  .  13 

Benjamin  I.  Freer 14 

Xathaniel  Hull.  Jiini'.  .  .  .  15 

El)oi-n  Hoyt    ](i 

William  Brundege   17 

Matthew  Presler 18 

Voted  that  the  next  Town  Mo 

Xo  1  Henry  Ter  Boss 

Caleb  Merrit (S  Days 

Henry  Terboss    3  "' 

Josiah  ^lerrit   o  " 

Augustus  Hill 3  " 

Daniel  Lockwood   .  .  2  " 

Annanias  Valentine.  4  " 

Jacob  DegToot 2  " 

Adam  Cropsy   3  " 

Henry  Cropsy,  3d .  .  2  " 

'No  2  Ebenezer  Foote 

Richard  Lewis 3  Days 

Benjamin  Carpenter.  4  '' 
Andrew  Youngs   ...    3     " 

Daniel  Goff 3     " 

Cornelius  Polhemols.  3  " 
John  Polhemols  S^.  4  " 
John  Polhemols  Ji'.    3     "  . 

Seth  Stocker 3     " 

Henry  Decker 3     '"' 

Allen  Lester 4     " 

James  Vanblaneam  .    2     " 

Henry  Cropsy 3  Days 

Peter  Thorp  " 2     '• ' 

John  Thorp 3     " 

Justin  Foot 4     " 

Lewis  Dubois 12     " 

Andrew  Ely 3  ■  " 


No 

William  Gee   19 

David  Merritt 20 

Samuel   Wyatt    21 

John  Smith 22 

Alexand  Youngs 23 

Stephen   Fowler   24 

David  Martin   25 

Thomas  :\Iackey 26 

Solomon  Combs   27 

Daniel   Everitt    28 

John   Coller    29 


eting  bo  held  at  David  Merritt's. 

Xo  3  John  Youngs 

Micajah  Lewis    ....   4  Days 

Cornelius  Lewis   ...    3  " 

Xathaniel  Harcourt.    6  " 

John  Harcourt 4  " 

John  Woolsey (i  " 

David  Woolsey   ....    3  " 

Alexander  IMackey . .    3  " 

James  Quimliy 3  " 

Enos  QuimJjy 3  " 

Peter  Caverly 4  " 

David  Malcoml) 3  " 

X^o  4  Annixg  Smith 

Thomas  Tomkins   .  .    3  Days 

Luff  Smith   6  "^ 

Uriah  Coffin 3  " 

Xathan  Smith 3  " 

Jehiel  C.  Smith 2  " 

Eliphalet  Smith  ....    2  " 

David  Denton 3  " 

Isaac  Rowley 3  " 

Solomon    Ferris ....   3  " 

John  Moore 3  " 

John  Hall   4  " 

John  Rinefield 2  " 

John  Wood   3  " 

John  Shiflfield   3  " 


Precinct  and  Town  Meetings  and  Records.    163 


No  5  Benjamin  Towxsend 

Wilhellimus  Dubois.  4  Days 

John  Quick 3     " 

Xathaniel  Burwell .  .  2     " 

Timothy  Wood 2     " 

Leonard    Smith -i     " 

John  Peck 2     " 

Blakerley   ....  2     " 

Robert  Bloomer  ....  2     " 

No  6  Jonathan  Broavn 
Josep  Mory 
Solomon  Hollatt 
Gilbert  Bloomer 
Benjn  Ely 
Oliver  Huson 
Thomas  Berrian 
Abraham  Quick 
Jacob  Lattin 
Martha  Mory 
Daniel  Cook 
AVilliam  Purdy 
Cornelius  Turner 
Obadiah  Palmer 
Peter  Quick 

No  7  Andrew  Cropsy 

James  Meritt  3  Days 

Thomas  Meritt 3  "" 

Frederick   Hadley. .  .  2  " 

Wheeler  Case  ..."...  3  " 

Isaac  Bloomer 3  " 

Thurstin  Wood 3  " 

Sylvenus  Purdy  ....  2  " 

Humphery  Merritt.  .  2  " 

George  Waller 2  " 

Jansey  2  " 

No  8  John  Bond  Master 
Matthew  Wygant   .  .    5  Days 

John  Wygant 5     " 

Michael" Wygant  ...  5.  " 
]\Iichael  Wygant  Jr.  3  " 
Anthony  Wygant  .  .  3  " 
Thomas  Wvirant  ...   5     " 


Robert  Blair   .  . . 

John  Case 

Josep  Hollatt  .  . 
Henry  Simpson . 
Joseph  Simpson. 
Joseph  Fairley.  . 
Elijah  Lewis  .  .  . 
Zadok  Lewis  .  .  . 
Jonath"  AYoolsey. 
Samuel  Fordeck . 
Thomas  Havens. 
Daniel  Ivnowlton 
Noah  Woolsey  .  . 
Richard  Woolsey 
John  Avery  .... 
John  Woolsey 
Stephen  AVaring 
Ephraim  Waring 
Jesse  Wright  .  . . 
Zadok  Rhodes  . .  . 
Thomas  Shaw  .  . 
William  Nortrup 
William  Woolsey 


Junr 


2  Days 

3  "" 
2  " 
2  " 
2  " 

2  " 
6  " 

4  " 

3  " 

2  " 

4  " 

5  " 
5  " 

3  " 
3  " 
3  " 
2  " 
2  " 
2  " 
2  " 
2  " 

2  " 

3  " 


No  9  Benjamin  Hallock 

Samuel  Mackey  ....  3  Days 

ITrion  Mackey 3     " 

Elijah  Ferris 3     " 

Abraham  Losson  ...  5     " 

Josep  Plumstead  ...  3     " 

Benjamin  Woolsey.  .  5     " 

Zadok  Quimby 3     " 

Pharoh  Lattin 2     " 

Elijah  Gardener.  ...  2     " 

Benedict  Carpenter  .  3     " 

No  10  Solomon  Fowler  M^r 

John   Mackey 4  Days. 

David  MacMinn 4  " 

Abel  Adams 3  " 

John  Fowler 3  " 

Zachariah  Burwell .  .  3  " 

Benjamin  Sand  ....  8  '' 

Al^ei  Adams  Senf ...  6  '^ 


164 


History  of  Marlboeough. 


Thomas  x\.irs  .... 

.   4  Days 

Asa  Hall 

.    2     "" 

William  Martin  .  . 

.    2     '' 

Bichard  Burwell.  . 

.    2     '' 

William  St.  John. 

Charles  Crawford . 

2     " 

Henry  Crawford.  . 

.    5     " 

James  Denton .... 

.    3     " 

John   Duffield.  ... 

.    4     " 

Elias  I^ions 

O         'i 

William  fSimson   . 

.    3     " 

John  Mackey  Jun^. 

.   2     " 

No     11     JoHX    Scott    Path 
Master 

Philip  Airs 3  Days 

John  Airs 3     "" 

James  Mackeylockry.  2     " 

James  Petet  .' ." .  2     " 

Saml  Smith 2     " 

Henry   Scott 2     " 

No  12  Elezer  Freer  Master 

John  Shiiart S  Days 

J  olin  Freer G     " 

James  Waters 2     '' 

Israel  Hoyt 6     " 

Jonathan  triphogel.  .  2     '" 

Adam  Baker 5     " 

John  Chase 2     " 

Ichahod  Williams ...  3     " 

No  14  Benjn  I.  Freer 

Joshua  Sutton 5  Days 

Peter  Berrian 4 

Benedict   Carpenter.  3 

Ze])ulon   Mosher 3 

William    Liaison. ...  3 

Peter   Quick    3 

Martin  Vanevery   .  .  3 

Daniel  Jones 3 

Nathaniel  Devine  .  .  3 

No  15  Nathaniel  Hull 

Matthew  St.  John .  .  3  Days 

Thos  Kelsey   4     " 


Peter  Tillue  Senr.'.  .   5  Days 

James  Tillue   3  "  "^ 

Jonathan  Lilly 3  " 

Jeriah  Rhodes 4     " 

Simmons    2  " 

Noah  St.  John 3  " 

No  16  Erboijx  Hoyt 

Edmon  Turner  ....    G  Davs 

Nathan  Ellitt   3  "' 

Isaac   Lockwood ....   3  " 

John  Griflfin  3  " 

Isaac  Garrison    ....    3  " 

Ebenezer  St.  John.  .   3  " 

No  17  William  Bruxderidge 

Sand  Merritt    6  Days 

William  Place   4  "' 

William  Mackintire.    3  " 

George  Merritt   ....    3  " 

Nathaniel   Wyatt ...   3  " 

Eeuben   Bloomer. ...   3  '' 

Samuel    Dolson 3  " 

Edward  Coe    3  " 

No  19  William  Gee 

Peter    Ostrander  . .  .    S  Days 

Blaw  Water  ...   3  "" 

Peter  Friesen    3  " 

Peter  Esterly    G  " 

Moricus  Ostrander.  .    7  " 

Daniel  Ostrander ...   3  " 

HarimanusTerwilger  2  " 

William  Ealyea  ....    5  " 

Hendrick  Ostrander.    8  " 

No  20  David  Merrit 

Eichard  Carpenter.  ,    6  Days 

John  Cayerly  Senr.  .   4  "' 

John  Caverlv  Jun^. .    3  " 

Philip  Caverly  4  " 

Stephen  Douglass  .  .   3  " 

John  Dennis 3  " 

HeniY  Hyde   3  " 

Dayid  Turner 4  " 

Josep  Carpenter ....   2  " 


Precixct  and  Town  Meetings  and  Records.    165 


Jeremiah  Barnhart. .  3  Days 

Peter  Barnhart  ....  3  " 

Charles  Kyse 3  "' 

Peter  Miller    2  " 

Merritt    Moore 2  '*' 

Hezekiah  Smith ....  3  " 

Eight  Carpenter.  ...  3  "' 

Gad  Wilier  4  " 

Griffin 2  " 

Xo  21  Samuel  AVyatt 

Eichard  Garrison.  .  .  5  Days 

^ohn  Gerow   5  " 

William  Gerow   ....  5  " 

Daniel  Gerow    3  " 

Ely  Gerow 2  " 

John  Gee   5  "' 

Andrew  Gee    4  " 

Andrew  Garrison...  3  " 

Abraham  Eussel ....  3  " 

Asa  Enssel 2  " 

Jeremiah  Eles 3  " 

Jacol)  Brown 2  " 

Hezekiah  Coiitant. .  .  3  " 

Peter  Contant 3  " 

William   Blank 3  " 


Solomon  Lane   2  Days 

John  Cronk   2  " 

Xath'l   Plumstead. .  .   2  " 

Xo  22  JoHX  M.  Smith 

Xehemiah   Smith...    6  Davs 

Wm.  Mosher 3  "" 

Job   St.  John 5  " 

Adam  St.  John 4  " 

Joseph  St.  John ....   3  "' 

John  St.  John 4  " 

Xathl  Kelsey 7  " 

Asa  Hall   .'. 4  " 

Anthonv  Devol 3  " 

Xathl  Hnll  Senr. .  .    5  ^' 

Ezekiel  Hull 3  " 

Xo  26  Thomas  Mackey 

David  ilackey 3  Days 

Charles  Mackey  Jun.  3  " 

Mathew  Benedict   . .   4  '' 

Xathl  Quimby 4  " 

Moses  Quimby 5  " 

Ebenezer     St.     John 

Jun.  .  .■ 2  " 

Uriah  Eaiment 2  " 

Jeremiah  Burdon ...   2  " 


Separation  of  Plattekill. 

The  following  is  a  record  of  the  proceedings  wherel^y  the 
town  of  Marl])orough  was  divided  and  Plattekill  was  erected  in 
1799: 

Voted  that  the  sum  of  one  hundred  and  seventy  pounds  be 
raised  for  the  support  and  maintenance  of  the  poor  for  the  en- 
suing year. 

Voted  that  the  Constables  and  Collectors  shall  give  security 
for  the  due  performance  of  their  offices. 

Voted  that  the  next  annual  Town  meeting  be  held  at  the  house 
of  Benajah  and  Samuel  AYrights  in  Pleasant  Valley. 

And  by  agTeement  l)etween  the  people  on  the  west  side  of  the 
mountains  and  those  on  the  east  side,  the  Town  meeting  is  to 
be  held  alternately  on  the  west  and  east  side  of  the  mountains, 
and  when  the  Town  meeting  is  held  on  the  west  side,  the  Super- 


166  History  of  Marlborough. 

visor  is  to  be  elected  from  the  same  place,  and  when  held  on 
the  ea'st  side  the  Supervisor  is  to  l)e  elected  there  likewise. 

At  a  special  To\ni  meeting  held  at  the  house  of  Robert  Gil- 
more,  in  the  Town  of  ^Marlborough,  the  eighth  day  of  ]\Iarch, 
one  thousand  eight  hundred,  agreeable  to  public  notice  for  that 
purpose  given. —  the  following  notes  were  by  a  majority  entered 
into,  viz : 

Voted  that  the  Town  of  Marlborough  be  divided  into  two 
Towns  as  follows;  (provided  the  assent  of  the  Legislature  can 
be  obtained  for  that  juirpose.)  l^eginning  on  the  line  l)etween  the 
Town  of  Xewburgh  and  the  Town  of  ]\farll)orough  two  chains 
and  seventy-five  links  east  of  the  northwest  corner  of  the  live 
patentees,  from  thence  northward  on  a  straight  line  to  the 
most  eastermost  line  of  Eobert  Tifffs  land  where  it  joins  the 
line  of  the  Town  of  Xew  Paltz. 

Toted  also  that  the  new  Town  on  the  Avest  side  of  the  moun- 
tains be  called  the  Town  of  Patteekiln;  and  the  first  Town  meet- 
ing l)e  held  at  the  house  of  Eobert  Gilmore.  And  the  re- 
mainder of  the  Town  on  tlie  east  side  of  the  mountains  retain 
the  present  name  of  ]Marll)orough ;  and  the  first  Town  meeting 
be  held  at  the  house  of  David  ^lerritt  in  Lating  Town. 

Voted  that  Joseph  Morey,  Esq.  and  Cornelius  Drake  l)e  ap- 
pointed to  carry  a  petition,  and  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting 
to  the-*  Legislature,  and  to  have  twenty-four  doHars  for  their 
services  to  be  paid  by  the  Town. 

At  the  annual  Town  meeting  of  the  Freeholders  and  Inhal)it- 
ants  of  the  Town  of  ]\[arlborough  held  at  the  house  of  David 
Merritt  on  Tuesday  the  first  day  of  April  in  the  year  one  thou- 
sand eight  hundred,  (agreeal)le  to  an  Act  of  the  Legislature 
of  the  State  of  Xew  York,  for  dividing  the  Town  of  ]\Iarl- 
borough  in  the  County  of  Ulster),  the  folloAnng  persons  were 
by  a  majority  of  votes  elected  Town  officers  for  the  ensuing 
year;  and  the  following  notes  were  l)y  a  majority  entered  into 
for  the  ensuing  year. 

Benjamin  Carpenter,  Moderator;  Benjomin  Townsend,  Town 
Clerk;  Benjamin  Ely,  Supervisor:  Ludlam  Smith.  Joseph  ]\rorey, 
Esq.,  ]\richael  AVigant,  Jr.,  Assessors;  Samuel  Adams,  John 
Haitt,  Daniel  Lockwood,  Commissioners  of  Highways;  Samuel 
Adams,  David  Staples,  Esq.,  Overseers  of  the  Poor:  Lewis  Du- 
bois. Jr.,  Collector:  William  S.  Drake,  Robert  Bhiir.  Constal)les; 
Nathaniel  Kelsev,  Michael  Wigant,  Jr.,  Peter  McCoun,  Charles 
Millard,  Commissioners  of  Schools;  Humphrey  Merritt,  Lewis 


Precinct  and  Town  Meetings  and  Records.    167 

Dubois,  Jr.,  Xoah  AVoolsey,  David  Merrit,  Solomon  Fowler, 
Thomas  Mac-key.  Anning  Smith,  Elijah  Lewis,  Pound  Masters 
and  Fence  Viewers. 

Overseers  of  the  Highways. —  Annanias  Yolentine,  Xo.  1; 
Charles  Millard,  Xo.  2 ;  John  Woolsey,  Xo.  3  ;  Anning  Smitli, 
Xo.  4 ;  Xoah  "Woolsey,  Xo.  5  ;  Joseph  Morey,  Esq.,  Xo.  6  ;  Thomas 
Pinkney,  Xo.  T  ;  David  Staples,  Esq.,  Xo.  8  ;  James  Teller,  Xo.  9  ; 
Solomon  Fowler,  Xo.  10;  Jacob  Eansom,  Xo.  11;  John  Bailey, 
Xo.  12  ;  Ebenezer  St.  John,  Jr.,  Xo.  13 ;  Eobert  Bloomer,  Jr., 
Xo.  14;  David  Merritt,  Xo.  15;  Benjamin  Carpenter,  Xo.  16; 
Elipalet  Smith,  Xo.  17  ;  James  Hallock,  Xo.  18 ;  Mathew  Bene- 
dict, Xo.  19;  Xathaniel  Sellick,  Xo.  20;  Samuel  Drake,  Xo.  21. 

Voted  that  the  Constables  and  Collector  give  security  for  the 
due  performance  of  their  offices. 

Voted  that  there  he  two  Constables  in  the  Town  for  the  en- 
suing year. 

Voted  that  the  sum  of  fifty-five  pounds  be  raised  in  the  Town 
in  the  ensuing  year  for  the  support  and  maintenance  of  the  poor. 

Voted  that  the  poor  maintained  l)y  the  Town  shall  be  sold 
at  public  vendue. 

Voted  that  the  sum  of  twenty-four  dollars  paid  ])y  the  Over- 
seers of  the  Poor,  for  defraying  the  expense  of  carrying  a  peti- 
tion to  All)any  for  dividing  the  To\ni  of  ]\rarll)orough,  be  paid 
by  the  Overseers,  themselves. 

Voted  that  the  next  annual  Town  meeting  be  held  at  the 
house  of  Xathaniel  Barcourt. 

Benjamin  Townsend,  Town  Clerk;  Benjamin  Ely,  Supervisor; 
Ludlam  Smith,  ]Michael  AVigant,  Jr.,  and  Joseph  jMorey,  Esq., 
Assessors ;  Samuel  Adams,  John  Haitt  and  Daniel  Lockwood, 
Commissioners  of  Highways ;  Samuel  Adams  and  David  Staples, 
Overseers  of  the  Poor ;  Lewis  Dubois,  Jr.,  Collector ;  William 
Drake  and  Eobert  Blair,  Constables. 

Sworn  in  their  respective  offices  as  the  law  directs. 

The  al)ove  Pound  Masters  and  Fence  Viewers  and  the  Over- 
seers of  the  HighAvays  above  named  sworn  as  the  law  directs. 

Benjamin  Townsend, 

Town  Clerk. 

List  of  Overseers  of  the  Higliways  for  the  year  1800,  together 
with  tlie  names  of  the  men  on  each  road  district  and  the  num- 
ber of  Davs  each  one  is  assessed. 


168 


History  of  Marlborough. 


Xo.  1  Days 

Annanias  A'olentine  P  M. . .  7 

John  J.  E.  Eobert 9 

Josiah  Meritt 7 

John  D.  Silvia S 

Gabriel  Meritt 3 

James  Henr^r 2 

Jacob  Cropsey 2 

Josiah  AVard   1 

Samuel  Meritt   1 

Lnff  Carpenter 2 

Mobnry  Carpenter  2 

Austin  Meritt   2 

Henry  TerBusli G 

Xo.  2 

Charles  Millard    G 

Lewis  Dubois    IG 

Daniel  Loekwood   G 

Lewis  Dubois,  Jr 2 

Joseph  Cromwell  4 

Andrew  Cropsey   2 

Andrew  Ely 3 

AVilliam  Duljois 6 

Abraham  Quick  2 

Cornelus  Polhamus    3 

Xathaniel  Bailey  2 

Adam  Cropsey 3 

Henry  Cropsey   3 

Allen  Liester 5 

Elum  Clark 3 

Stephen  Years 3 

Xo.  3 

John  Woolsey   9 

Jonathan  Jordan    3 

John  Youngs    7 

Xathaniel  Harcourt 10 

John  Wood   9 

Ruben  Xichols 3 

Elizabeth  Lewis    4 

Edward  Youngs   3 

Xo.  4 

Anning  Smitli   12 

Benjamin  Sands 8 


Days 

John  Davis   3 

George  Westlick   7 

li()l)ert  Simmons 1 

James  Hull   3 

Jacolj  Eowley 3 

Phebe  Smitli 3 

Xo.  5 

Xoah  Woolsey 7 

Jesse  Lyons 3 

Volentine  Lewis   4 

Jonathan  Wright   3 

Samuel  Lyons 5 

James  Woolsey   3 

Amos  Bradbury 1 

Benjamin  Townsend  4 

Gilbert  ]\Licklerath 3 

Stephen  Ehods   3 

Xo.  6 

Jose|)h  Aforey   5 

Joshua  Lounsl)errv 6 

William  Drake   . '. 6 

Benj.  Ely 9 

Joseph  Caverlv 3 

Xath'l  Caverly    4 

Charles  Brown 11 

Jonathan  Brown,  Jr G 

Oljadiah  Brown 4 

Oliver  Huson 1 

Isaac  Quiml)y   3 

Xo.  6  Continued 

Joseph  Degroat 1 

Peter  Caverly 3 

Benj.  Sutton 1 

Lil)e  Quimlty 8 

Xo.   7 

Thomas  Pinkney 7 

Isaac  Elliott   3 

Joseph  Meritt 3 

Samuel  Purdy   3 

Roger  Purdy 3 

Robert  Blair   4 


Precinct  and  Town  Meetings  and  Records.    169 


No.  7  Days 

Moris  Meritt 2 

Hiuiiphre}'  Meritt 1 

Mathew  Cropsey 4 

Jothain  Thorne .  5 

Whitfield  Case    3 

No.  8 

David  Staples,  Esq 8 

John  Wigant 8 

Sarah  Birdsall    5 

Jeremiah  Sabin,  Jr 2 

Wm.  Silkworth 2 

John  Bont 5 

Anthony  ^^'igant 5 

Miachael  Wigant,  Jr 5 

Mathew  Wigant 8 

John  Case 3 

Michael  Wigant    2 

Xo.  9 

James  Teller 4 

Alexander  Mackey   2 

Silvanus  Purdy 4 

Wm.  MeEntere 1 

Solomon  Purdy 2 

Jiirion  Mackey   2 

Joseph  Plinnsted   1 

Jeremiah  Woolsey   3 

Pharoah  Latting    1 

Samuel   Winslow    3 

William  Woolsey 3 

Solomon  Utter 2 

John  Purdy 2 

No.  10 

Solomon  Fowler   9 

Samuel  Adams 9 

Abel  Adams 4 

Thomas  Airs 7 

Henry  Crawford 7 

John  Mackey   7 

Levi  Mackey 2 

Jehoida  Mellam 2 

John  Fowler 2 


Days 

Yardanant  Grigs  3 

Asa  Martin   2 

Elijah  Fowler 3 

Joshua  Fowler 3 

William  Martin 2 

John    Sands    5 

Peter  MCoun 3 

Isaac  Hill G 

No.  11 

Jacob  Eansoni 8 

Jereiah  Rhodes 2 

John  Carpenter 4 

John  Duffield   10 

William  ]\rosher 1 

Nathl  Kelsey,  Jr 4 

No.  11 

George  Mackey 2 

No.  12 

John  Belly,  P.  M 8 

James  Quimby 7 

Samuel  ]\Iackey 2 

Elisha  Purdy 4 

George  Wigant  2nd 3 

Henry  Mabie 1 

Gilbert  Thorne 3 

Wheeler  Case 3 

Peter  Mabie 2 

No.  13 

Ebenezer  St.  John,  Jr 3 

Zadock  Ehodes   3 

Joseph  Rhodes 4 

John  Mackey.  Jr 4 

Ebenezer  St.  John 1 

Stephen  Douglas   3 

Henry  Quick 2 

Daniel  Loekwood   2 

William  St.  John 1 

Samuel  St.  John 2 

David  Brush   1 


170 


History  of  Marlborough. 


No.  14  Days 

Eobert  Bloomer,  Jr 4 

Jeremiah   Sabins    T 

William  Place 3 

Abraham  Hoigg   4 

Nehemiali  Hoigg 4 

Isaac  Bloomer 5 

Benjamin  Anderson 3 

Edward  Coe  4 

James  j\reritt 5 

Jeremiah  Meritt 3 

Thomas  Bingham 4 

Thomas  Meritt 2 

Eoljert  Bloomer  2 

Isaac  j\Ieritt 4 

No.  15 

David  Meritt,  P.  M 8 

Henry  Woolsey 5 

AVilliam  B.  Woolsey 5 

Philip  Caverly   5 

Latting  Caverly 2 

Eichard  Caverly 2 

John  Caverly,  Jr 3 

Richard  Carpenter 8 

John  Haitt 4 

Malicah  Gillis 1 

Thomas  Wigant 9 

George  Winslow 3 

Joseph  Winslow   3 

Uriah  Eaymond 3 

Jeremiah  Cole 2 

Smith  Dinmore 2 

Jonathan  Woolsey 2 

Isaac  Hulse 3 

Mathew  Wigant 2 

No.  16 

Benjamin  Carpenter 4 

Benjamin  Carpenter,  Jr.  .  .  2 

kSanuiel  Carpenter 2 

Peter  Barnheart   4 

Angus  Cambell 2 

Levi  Quimby 3 

George  Wigant 5 


Days 

Wright  Carpenter 4 

William  Lineson 4 

David  Weed 7 

No.  17 

Eliphalet  Smith   u 

Clark  Smith 6 

John  Smith 8 

Ludlam  Smith    8 

Nathaniel  Kelsey 8 

Charles  Crawford   1 

Henry  Cutler    1 

James  Pride 1 

No.  18 

James  Hallock 12 

Alexander  Youngs 8 

John  Williams    5 

Nehemiah  Smith 5 

Iiichard  Woolsey,  Jr 2 

James    Folwer    6 

Elias  :Mackey 3 

John  Mackey   3 

Jeremiah  Mackey   4 

John  Rhodes 6 

Gardner  Earle   2 

Zadok  Lewis 4 

Patrick  Powers 2 

Jacob  Brush  2 

John  Hill    2 

Jurion  ]\Iackey   1 

Jurian  Mackey,  Jv.  . .        - .  2 

No.  19 

Mathew  Benedict 6 

Nathaniel  Quimby 4 

Moses  Quimby 6 

Thomas  Mackey 8 

Mathew  Mackey 2 

No.  20 

Nath'l  Sellick 4 

Elijah  Lewis 4 

Nathaniel  Woolsey 2 

Foster  Hallock    5 


Peecinct  and  Town  Meetings  and  Records.    171 


^0.  20  Days 

Peter  Plough 2 

Joshua  Sutton 7 

Stephen  Sutton 2 

Oliver   Hall    3 

Eobert  Loclavood  2 

John  Sheffield 2 

Xathan  Sheffield 1 


No.  21  Days 

Samuel  Drake 6 

Henry  TerBush  6 

Jonathan  TerBusli 2 

Jeremiah  Barnheart 2 

^lathew  Barnheart 2 

Asa  Eutsev 2 


The  Mex  Who  Lived  Here  in  1818. 

Benjamin  Townsend,  Town  Clerk;  Eiehard  I.  Woolsey.  Super- 
visor; Allen  Lester,  Gabriel  Merritt  and  Xathaniel  Chittenden, 
Assessors;  William  Soper,  Daniel  Lester  and  John  W.  Wygant, 
Commissioners  of  Highways;  John  Haitt,  Cornelus  Dubois, 
Overseers  of  the  Poor;  Richard  Woolsey,  Collector;  Eiehard 
Woolsey,  Gabriel  Merritt,  Peter  H.  Caveriy,  Adolph  D.  Brower, 
Constables ;  William  Soper,  Benjamin  Townsend,  Samuel  Drake, 
Commissioners  of  Common  Schools;  Xathaniel  Chittenden, 
Augustus  H.  Conklin,  James  I.  Ostram,  Stephen  S.  Eand,  Eieh- 
ard Smith,  and  Edward  Coe,  Inspectors  of  Common  Schools; 
Alexander  Cropsey,  Daniel  Wvgant,  David  Staples,  Jr.,  Jonathan 
Kent,  Cornelius  Dubois,  Xathaniel  Harcourt,  Jr.,  Pound  Mast- 
ers and  Fence  Viewers. 

Overseers  and  men  on  each  road  district: 


District  Xo. 
Gabriel  Meritt 
Henry  Ter  Booss 
Alexander  Cropsey 
John  Cropsey 
Josiah  Merritt,  Jr. 
Francis  Fegarro 
John  Buckley 
Jeffry  Lewe 
John  Thorn 
Andrew  Cropsey  2 
Charles  Meritt 
Anthony  Seamon 
Daniel  G.  Eussell 
Samuel  Lock  wood 
Peter  Milden 
Jeremiah  Cropsey,  Jr. 


District  Xo. 
Cornelus  Dubois 
Aron  G.  Page 
Andrew  Ely 
David  I.  :\feritt 
Cornelius  Polhamus 
James  Cropsev 
Seth  Ely 
John  Polhamus 
George  Fowler 
John  Conger 
Abraham  Decker 
Elijah  Cleavland 
Eli  Pardie 
Xath'l  Dubois 
Jesse  Vanburen 
Andrew  Cropsey 


172 


History  of  Marlborough. 


Humphry  Mory 
Samuel  Cropsey 
David  ]\Iackey 
John  Havens 

District  No.  3 
Zadock  Lewis 
Nathaniel  Harconrt 
ISTathaniel  Harconrt  Jr. 
John  Ehoades,  Jr. 
Benjamin  Harconrt 
Edward  Young 
Henry  Woolsey 
Eichard  Ehoades 
David  Conklin 
Stephen  Eand 
]\Iichael  Lecost 
John  Eansoni 
Elijah  Lewis,  Jr. 
Loten  Lewis 
Hiram  Lewis 

District  Xo.  i 
Jonathan  Kent 
Al)Solom  Barrett 
Adolph  D.  Brower 
Francis  Pell 
Jonathan  Woolsey 
Luke  C.  Quick 
Anning  Smith 
David  Selleck 
Eol)ert  Gilmer 
Sylvester  Strong 
Lewis  Quick 
Jonathan  Wood 
Henry  King 
John  Anthony 
Benjamin  Anthony 
John  Sands 
Augustus  H.  Conklin 
Moses  Birdsall 
John  Noyes 
John  Davis 
Daniel  W.  Knap 


District  Xo.  5 
Benjamin  Townsend 
Moses  Quimhy 
Amos  Quimljy 
John  Palmateer 
Isaac  Harris 
Simeon  Doty 
Ahraham  Young 
Zephaniah  Xortrip 
Xoah  AVoolsey 
Stephen  Mackey 
William  Lyon 
William  Lyon,  Jr. 
Eichard  L.  Strickland 
Volentine  Lewis 
]\Iiram  Lewis 

District  Xo.  6 
David  Staples,  Jr. 
Charles  Brown 
John  S.  Purdy 
James  Quimliy 
Joshua  Lounsbury 
Al)raham  Ely 
Eichard  Smith 
Isaac  Qnimby 
Allen  Lester 
Daniel  Lester 
John  Waters 
Ohediah  Brown 
Xathl  Huson 
Daniel  Underwood 
Easwell  Stiles 
Samuel  Quim1)y 

District  Xo.  7 
George  Wygent  2 
Eichard  Dubois 
Eobert  Blair 
Joseph  Meritt 
Daniel  Wygant 
John  Canfield 
Tunis  Dolson 
Charles  Jennings 
John  E.  Brown 


Precinct  and  Town  Meetings  and  Records.    173 


District  N"o,  8 
John  Bont 
Nathaniel  Wygant 
George  Birdsall 
Edmond  Birdsall 
David  Staples 
Isaac  Lockwood 
William  Lockwood 
Barnard  Bont 
Charles  Tooker 
Ira  Staples 
James  Dexter 

District  Xo.  9 
Joseph  Harcoiirt 
Urion  Mackey 
Jeremiah  Barnheart 
Sylvaniis  Purdy 
Eichard  Woolsey 
Smith  Wood 
William  Smith 
Sylvanus  Purdy,  Jr. 
David  I.  Meritt 
Austin  ]\Ieritt 

District  No.  10 
AVilliam  Soper 
Eichard  Woolsey,  Jr. 
Jonas  Denton 
Malciah  Gillis 
Daniel  Lockwood 
John  Cole 
Jacob  Eowley 
Abraham  Lawson,  Jr. 
William  Bolton 
John  Hallock 
William  Dowe 
Peter  ]\ICoim 
Uriah  Coffin 
William  Gidney 
Ferdinand  Grigs 
Elida  Watkins 
Elmasa  Perkins 
Widow  Fowler 


Eobert  Brown 
Xath'l  Chittenden 
William  Xoyes 
Nathan  Perkins 
Asa  Martin 
Abraham  D.  Soper 

District  No.  11 
Josiah  Meritt 
John  Duffield 
John  Eaymond 
William  Mackey 
Eliphalet  Smith 
Daniel  Mackey 
Jeremiah  Dun 
Josiah  Cooper 
Elias  Mathews 
Joseph  Dubois 
Jacob  Belly 
Solomon  Martin 
Obadiah  Knowlton 

District  No.  12 
Daniel  Kniflfin 
Stephen  Staples 
Nathaniel  Belly 
John  F.  Kniffin 
Gilbert  Kniffin 
John  Kniffin,  Jr. 
John  Belly 
Nicholas  Belly 
Elisha  Purdy 
Nathaniel  Purdy 

District  No.  13 
Henry  Quick 
David  Smith,  Jr. 
John  Fowler 
John  Eoe 
Hugh  Eiley 

District  No.  14 
Isaac  Bloomer 
Benj'n  Anderson 


174 


History  of  Marlboeough. 


Jeremiah  Howell 
Edward  Coe 
Xehemiah  Meritt 
Thomas  Bingham 
Eobert  Bloomer 
George  M;eritt 
Gilbert  Thorn 
Isaac  Meritt 
Robert  E.  Bloomer 
Daniel  Bloomer 
Solomon  Mosher 
Joseph  Hunt 
John  Qiiiml)y 
James  Gohman 
Henry  Cosman 

District  Xo.  15 
Thomas  Wvgant 
John  Haitt 
David  AVoolsey 
John  AVood 
Latting  Gaverly 
David  Meritt 
John  Caverly 
Mathew  Wygant 
Isaac  Hnlse 
John  "Woolsey 
Eichard  Carpenter 
Carpenter  C*averly 
Joseph  Strait 
Charles  Craft 
Jonas  Mackey 
John  B.  AVygant 

District  Xo.  16 
Samuel  Waters 
Zadock  Ehoads 
David  Mackey 
Levi  Mackey 
John  Ehoads 
Cornelus  Ehoads 
William  Lyneson 
William  Wygant 
Jeremiah  Cole 


Asael  Thrasher 
Eassel  Holmes 
George  Wygant 
Hatfield  Morgan 
Gilbert  Morgan 

District  Xo.  17 
Eol)ert  Chaml)ers 
Xathaniel  Kelse_y 
John  M.  Smith 
Thomas  Smith 
Enos  Hart 
James  Stone 
Peter  Crookstone 
Mathew  ]\Iackey 

District  Xo.  18 
Xathaniel  Clark 
John  T.  Hallock 
IVlig  Ehoads 
Eichard  I.  Woolsey 
John  Sheffield 
EoI)ert  Young 
Ehuhama  Adams 
Joshua  ]\Iartin 

District  Xo.  19 
Gilbert  F.  :\rondon 
Xehemiah  L.  Smith 
James  Hull 
Al>igael  Crawford 
Mathew  Benedict 
Ecter  Barnheart 
James  York 
Cl,arles  Mackey  3 
Jeremiah  Mackey  2 
Thomas  Mackey,  Jr 
James  Malcom 
Xathaniel  Quimby 
Thomas  Mackey 
Jacob  Quimb}^ 
Eul)en  D.  JMackey 


Precinct  and  Town  Meetings  and  Records.    175 


District  No.  20 
Foster  Hallock 
Micajah  Lewis 
Michael  White 
Eobert  Moses 

District  Xo.  21 
Samuel  Drake 
Cornbury  Dayton 
William  Degroat 
Daniel  Quimby 
Peter  Mabie 
James  Milspaugh 
John  Miller 
John  Underwood 

District  Xo.  22 
HeniT  C.  ]\Iackey 
Stephen  Ehoads 
William  Ehoads 
Stephen  Woolsey 
Joseph  Berrian 
Benj'n  Atherton 
Jesse  Lyon 
Peter  Eoe 
Mathew  Barrian 

District  Xo.  23 
Joseph  Plumstead 
Joseph  St.  John 
Michael  Wygant 

District  Xo.  24 
John  W.  Wygant 
Ezra  Waring 
John  Case 
Oliver  Staples 


jNIathew  Wygant 
^Michael  Wygant 
Michael  Wygant  3 
James  Wygant 

District  Xo. 
Lewis  Du1)ois 
Daniel  Hicks 
Joseph  LockwOod 
Charles  Millard 
James  Millard 

District  Xo. 
David  Sands 
Josiah  Lockwood 
Joseph  King 
Hezekiah  Smith 
Harvey  Gregory 
Phillip  Woolsey 

District  Xo. 
]\Iartin  Cole 
Jacob  Lawson 
Eichard  Caverly 
Phillip  Caverly 
Peter  H.  Caverly 
Phillip  Caverly,  Jr. 

District  Xo. 
Peter  Quimby 
James  Fowler,  Jr. 
James  Fowler 
Alexander  Young 
Caleb  Fowler 
James  Harton 


26 


28 


The  Men  Who  Lived  Here  in  1840. 
Lewis  W.  Yomig,  Supervisor;  Hezekiah  Hull,  Town  Clerk; 
Josiah  W.  Carpenter,  Justice  of  the  Peace;  William  Martin, 
William  Hallock,  and  Joseph  Lockwood,  Assessors  ;  James  Sher- 
man and  Svlvanus  Purdy,  Overseers  of  the  Poor ;  Cornelius  Car- 
penter, Jeremiah  Clark,  and  Carpenter  Caverly,  Commissioners 
of  Highwavs;  Jolm  B.  Wygant,  Wygant  Merritt,  and  Jacob  P. 


176 


History  of  Marlboeough. 


Townsend,  Commissioners  of  Common  Schools;  Moses  Everitt, 
Daniel  Lewis,  and  Jacob  Young,  Inspectors  of  Common  Schools ; 
Eenms  Woolsey,  Collector;  Eemus  Woolsey,  Thomas  Bingham, 
and  Stephen  B.  IMackey,  Constables;  James  Rowley,  Town 
Sealer;  Jonathan  Kent,  Pound  Master. 
Overseers  and  men  on  each  road  district : 


District  No.  1 
Benjamin  Oddy  . 
Andrew  Oddy 
Ezekiel  Velie 
Elisha  Pnrdy 
Phelje  Pnrdy 
Sarah  Drake 
James  Dickison 
David  Simpson 
Thomas  Townsend 
John  Buckly 
John  Brooks 
James  Huson 
George  Felter 
James  Graves 
Joseph  Brooks 
Gal)riel  Merritt 
Leonard  S.  Carpenter 
Dennis  H.  Doyle 
Yolentine  Cropsey 
Henry  Cropsey 
Charles  Merritt 
Jacob  Eichner 
Josiah  W.  Carpenter 
Isaac  Terwil  lager 
Charles  X.  Brower 
John  Brower 
Nathaniel  DuBois 
Lewis  Supreme 
Fegarrow  F.  Milden 
Al)raham  Blake 
David  I.  Merritt 
Thomas  Cropsey 
Jeremiah  Terwillager 
John  ]\Iabee 
Joseph  Prince 
Joshua  Brooks 


"^.V  i  do w  Fega  r ro w 
Pricilla  Milden 

District  No.  2 
Miles  J.  Fletcher 
Henry  H.  Holden 
Henry  H.  Holden,  Ten. 
Jeremiah  Clark 
(*ornelius  DuBois 
Andrew  Ely 
AVilliam  Kelly 
David  ^I organ 
Joseph  Hepworth 
Bernard  Wygant 
John  B.  Wygant 
Harvey  Wygant 
IJobert  Spence 
AVilliam  Mcllrath 
Eli  as  Howell 
Nathaniel  Baiiey 
Benjamin  F.  Patton 
Bernard  Baily 
Eobert  B.  Mapes 
Nathaniel  Huson 
Curtis  AVright 
Lewis  Quick 
William  Lyons,  Jr. 
Samuel  Bond 
Josiah  C.  DuBois 
Leonard  Adams 
Nathaniel  Deyo 

Passmore 

Hiram  Benscoten 
Daniel  Mackev 
Asa  T.  AA^right 
John  AA^.  Cropsey 
Lewis  Smith 


Pbecifct  and  Town  Meetings  and  Records.    177 


Spence  &  Mcllrath 
Mobury  Carpenter 
Isaac  Purely 

District  No.  3 
Thomas  Burling 
Daniel  Lewis 
Ruth  Lewis 
John  Lawson 
David  Young 
Henry  Woolsey  (Heirs) 
Edward  Young 
William  Holmes 
Daniel  Lester 
Eeuben  Quick 
Benjamin  Ehoads 
^Nathaniel  Hallock 
'  John  Hull 
Gilbert  Terwillager 
John  Lawson  (Tenant) 
Augustus  Ehoads 
William  Anderson 

District  No.  4 
Benjamin  Anthony 
Josiah  L.  Dow 
Absalom  Barrett 
Jacob  P.  Townsend 
Jonathan  Kent 
Elizabeth  Ehoads 
Stephen  E.  Eoe 
William  Coffin 
John  Y.  Barrett 
Lydia  Smith 
Samuel  Purdy 
William  Gidney 
Thomas  Bates 
William  Coffin  (Ten) 
Cornelius  Lockwood 
Jacob  Eowley,  Jr. 
Joseph  Miller 
John  A.  Ackerly 
Joseph  Ferris 
Henry  King 


Joseph  I.  Pollock 
John  Sands 
Henry  Brown 
David  Gidney 
Charles  Davis 
Ichabod  Williams 
Craft  &  Smith 
Eufus  Ehoads 
Oliver  P.  Kent 
James  Woolsey 
Stephen  Yelverton 
Philetus  Colman 
Joel  Hornbeek 
John  Anthony 
Samuel  Barrett 
Forlnis  Poroperty 
George  Potter 
Enos  Yan  Siclen 

District  No.  5 
John  AVoolsey 
Eichard  I.  Woolsey 
William  Lyons 
Matthew  T.  Berrean 
'Samuel  Berrean 
Zephaniah  Nortrip 
Sherbourn  Sears 
Jacol)us  Newkirk 

District  No.   6 
Thomas  S.  Warren 
David  Staples 
Isaac  Fowler 
Dennis  Purdy 
John  S.  Purdy 
Charles  Tooker 
Benjamin  Harcourt 
Jerdon  Dobbs 
James  C.  Harcourt 
David  Fowler 
Samuel  Warren 
John  D.  Crook 
James  Clark 
David  T.  Merritt 


178 


HisxoRY  OF  Marlborough. 


Samuel  Herbert 
Jonathan  Herse 
Thomas  Brown 
Daniel  S.  Mackey 
George  Barnheart 
Carpenter  Caverly 
Mary  Quiniby 
Cornelius  Quimby 
James  Scott 
Daniel  Scott 
William  L.  Scott 

District  No.  7 
Burns  Wygant 
Joseph  Lockwood 
Eli  T.  Lockwood 
Daniel  S.  Birdsall 
Joso]:)h  ]\Ierritt 
Isaac  Staples 
Eleazor  Gidney 
Garret  DuBois 
Samuel  P.  Hulsey 
Daniel  Pierce 
John  DuBois 
Moses  Everitt 

District  No.  8 
Henry  Bont 
Nathaniel  Wygant 
Daniel  Tooker 
William  W.  Lockwood 
Eliazabeth  Bingham 
George  Birdsall 
Charles  Birdsall 
Nelly  Porter 
Bernard  Bont 
John  P.  Porter 
Joseph  Thompson 
William  McConnell 

District  No.  9 
Hackaliah  Purdy 
Sylvanus  Purdy 
Francis  Mackey 


Daniel  Underwood 
Lewis  Rhoads 

District  No.  10 
Pobert  Brown 
Jos.  Lockwood 
Eemus  Woolsey 
Luther  Pratt 
Pratt  Hull 
L'obt.  S.  Lockwood 
James  Denton 
James  Sherman 
Henry  Maguill 
Jacob  Eowley 
Daniel  Eowley 
Melkiah  Gillis 
William  L.  Mackey 
Stephen  B.  Mackey 
Sarah  Ellsworth 
George  Hallock 
Jeremiah  Mackey 
A.  J.  M.  Smith 
L.  Harrison  Smith 
V/arren  Scott 
Nath'n  Woolsev,  Jr. 
(^harles   Decker 
I'avid  E.  Ostrander 
Dewitt  Nelson 
Stephen  Ehoads 
Edgar  D.  Gillis 
Jacob  H.  Gillis 
William  Soper 
Thomas  Baker 
James  Eowley 
Eleanor  Duffield 
Elijah  E.  Ehoads 
Absalom  J.  Barrett 
Elias  Mackey 
Jonathan  Ostrander 
Smith  More 
John  Soper 
Aaron  Staples 


Precinct  and  Town  Meetings  and  Records.    179 


District  No.  11 
William  L.  Ehoads 
James  A.  Disbrevv 
Foi-ris  Malcomlj 
Ilenrv  Maxem 
Elizabeth  Malcomb 
Eliphalet  Smith 
Selleck  Carpenter 
Hiram  Campbell 
Alen  Quick 
John  Thomas 

District  No.  12 
James  Wygant 
John  C.  Kniffin 
Barney  Benson 
James  E.  Kniffin 
Nelson  Henell 
Eobert  L.  Harris 
Da,niel  Birdsall 
j\rary  Kniflfin 
Emra  Wygant 
James  Quimby,  Jr. 

District  No.  13 
John  P.  Palmateer 
John  Palmateer 
John  St.  John 
Widow  Thompson 
James  Stone 
Jacol)  Baily 
Zachariah  Ellis 
David  Malcolm 
William  Dayton 
David  ]\riller 

District  Xo.  14 
Isaac  L.  Harris 
Elienezer  Kniffin 
Stephen  H.  Benjamin 
Elliott  Howell 
Isaac  Merritt 
John  Turner 
James  Bloomer 


Eobt.  E.  Bloomer 
Deborah  Eand 
John  Coovert 
David  Cosman 
Chester  Kniffin 
Daniel  Wygant 

District  No.  15 
Isaac  E.  Fowler 
Latin  Caverly 
John  Shorter 
David  M.  Hail 
John  Wood 
Isaac  E.  Fowler 
Henry  Cosman 
Abraham  WooUey 
William  Woolley 
Martha  Craft 
]\Iatthew  T.  Wygant 
David  Craft 
Channcy  Wygant 
Austin  Merritt 
Isaac  Maston 
Joseph  Lyneson 
Jacob  Shorter 
Sanford  Shorter 
Jonathan  Caverly 
Jacob  Cosman 
John  Ellsworth 
Isaac  Quimby 

District  No.  16 
Zadock  Ehoads 
David  W.  Woolsey 
William  Wygant 
Levi  Crosby 
Cornelius  Ehoads 
Lewis  Ehoads 
Annanias  Quick 
John  S.  Eoe 
Abraham  Tuttle 
John  Holden 
John  B.  Holden 
John  Terperning 


180 


History  of  Marlboeough. 


Jeddediah  Elioads 
Thorn  ]\tackey 
Isaac  Winn 
John  DuBois 
Levi  Mackey 
John  L.  Rhoads 
Ebenezer  Crosberry 
William  Mackey 
Lewis  Ehoads  3 

District.  No.  17 
Isaac  B.  Purdy 
Eobt.  Chambers 
Jacob  Yonng 
Isaac  Young 
Andrew   Owens 
Uriah  Coflfin 
Jesse  Sherman 
Isaac  Tomkins 

District  No.  18 
William  Hallock 
Thomas  Woolsey 
John  Yonng 
John  T.  Hallock 
Nathl  Clark 

District  No.  19 
James  Halt 
Oliver  Hnll 
David  Adams 
Samuel  Adams 
Thomas  Smith 
Denton  Smith 
Joseph  DuBois 
Piirdy  Hadley 
Thomas  N.  Mackey 
Henry  Hull 

Rosecronse 

District  No.  20 
Gershum  Thorn 
James  Latin 
Richard  R.  Fowler 


Thomas  Bingham 
Thomas  Bingham,  Jr. 
Selah  Dickerson 
Eveline  Hanford 
Nehemiah  Merritt 
Gilbert  Thorn 
Thomas  Taylor 
Peter  T.  Knifhn 
Chester  Kniffin 

District  No.  23 
Nathaniel  Harcourt 
Stephen  Woolsey 
John  Anderson 
John  Anderson,  Jr. 
Samuel   Stratton 
Emra  Rhodes 
William  King 

District  No.  23 
Thaddeus  Baxter 
David  Staples  2 
Bartholomew  Baxter 
James  Staples 
Daniel  St.  John 
Edward  DuBois 
Joseph  Plumstead 
Henry  Plumbstead 
Uriah  Plumbstead 

District  No.  24 
Asa  S.  Wygant 
John  W.  Wygant 
Michael  AVygant 
Cornls.  Wygant 
John  Fowler 

District  No.  25 
Lewis  W.  Young 
Anna  DuBois 
Nathl.  H.  DuBois 
Robt.  Beebe 
R.  Beebe  &  Co. 
Carpenter  &  Spence 


Precinct  and  Town  Meetings  and  Kecords.    181 


Joseph  More 
Oliver  Coovert 
Henry  Mal)ee 
Nathi.  Strait 
John  Scott 
Henry  King 

Colman 
Hugh  McCreary 
Hance  McCreary 
John  C'ohnan 

District  No.  26 
Sumner  Cohnan 
Charles  A.  Bloomer 
Henry  Hamblin 
David  Sands 
Nathl.  Williams 
James  Attarton 

District  Xo.  27 
Peter  H.  Caverly 
Jacob  Lavton 
Smith  Ehoads 
Thomas  Blomer 
Isaac  Quiniby 

District  No.  28 
Daniel  Quick 
John  Eckert 
Michael  Quimby 
Charles  Davis 
Philip  Fowler 
Abraham  Young 
Pichard  Birdsall 
John  Davis 
Calvin  Smith 


Jeremiah  Mackey 
Philip  Mackey 
Harvey  Wygant 

District  No.  30 
Alexander  Young 
William  Young 
David  Sole 
Adolphus  Smith 
John  Clark 
William  Swart 
John  Vandemark 
John  D.  Quimby 
James  Quiml^y 
Walter  Blair  " 

District  No.  31 
Gill>ert  Caverly 
Thomas  Mcllrath 
Cornelius  DuBois 
Charles  DuBois 
David  DuBois 

District  No.  32 
Nathl.  Harcourt,  Jr. 
Joseph  Harcourt 
IMatthew  Harcourt 
Smith  Wood 
Jacob  Wood 

District  No.  34 
Benjamin  F.  Townsend 
Elijah  Lewis 
Benjamin  Townsend 
Calvin  Bulkelv 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Ancient  Roads. 

There  appears  to  have  been  two  roads,  one  called 
the  Lattin  Town  road  and  the  other  the  Platter  Kill 
road.  These  were  certainly  the  oldest  roads,  and  were 
most  likely-  laid  out  by  Capt.  Thomas  Ellison,  Capt. 
Alexander  Colden  and  Zachariah  Hoffman,  commis- 
sioners appointed  by  an  Act  of  Assembly  in  1743  for 
the  better  clearing  and  further  laying  out  of  public 
roads  for  the  Precinct  of  the  Highlands;  or  by  Capt. 
Jonathan  Hasbrouck,  Lewis  DuBois  and  Samuel 
Fowler,  as  commissioners  for  the  Precinct  of  New- 
burgh,  appointed  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature  in 
1762,  as  all  subsequent  roads  refer  in  their  descrip- 
tion to  these  roads,  but  I  can  find  no  record  of  them. 
The  old  Highland  Precinct  records  (precinct  of  which 
tliis  town  was  first  a  i)art)  are  not  to  be  found  after 
great  research,  and  it  is  presumed  they  have  been 
lost. 

It  seems  that  the  name  Platter  Kill  was  long  used 
before  the  town  was  named.  It  was  the  stream  of 
water  running  along  the  west  side  of  what  is  now 
Plattekill.  The  roads  were  mostly  laid  out  between 
1780  and  1800,  though  I  find  one  in  1774.  I  give  a 
descrii)tion  of  some  of  these  roads  as  a  curiosity. 
There  were  large  numbers  of  these  roads  but  the  de- 
scriptions are  so  primitive  that  their  routes  cannot 
be  traced,  and  those  I  have  given  will  require  much 
study : 

"  By  Virtue  of  an  Act  of  the  General  Asseml)ly  of  the  Prov- 
ince of  New  York  passed  the  sixth  Year  of  our  Present  Majes- 
tyes  Eeign  Entitled  an  Act  for  the  better  Clearing  mending  and 
further  laying  out  Publiek  high  Roads  and  others  in  the  County 
of  Ulster  We  the  Commitioners  of  the  Precinct  of  New  Marl- 
borougli  for  the  Putting  in  Execution  the  good  purposes  of  tlie 


184  History  of  Marlborough, 

said  Act  and  by  a  Petition  of  the  Inhabitants  being  Freeholders 
have  laid  out  an  open  Public  Eoad  four  Rods  wide  begining  not 
far  from  the  North  side  of  the  Seven  Patentees  on  the  brow  of 
a  certain  Small  Hill  thence  in  the  most  direct  and  Convenient 
place  to  a  certain  Bridge  in  the  Eoad  that  comes  from  Mr. 
Brush's  Landing  thence  Northerly  in  the  most  direct  and  Con- 
venient place  a  little  East  of  the  House  of  David  Mackey  thro' 
the  East  part  of  a  certain  Swamp  still  runing  near  said  swamp 
in  the  most  Direct  and  Convenient  place  to  a  certain  Bridge 
still  Northerly  in  the  most  Direct  and  Convenient  place  to  the 
Paltz  line  Oposite  the  Land  of  Capt.  John  AVoolsey  adjoining 
a  little  AVest  of  his  Block  House  We  Do  order  the  Eoad  above 
mentioned  to  be  open  and  publick  and  that  the  same  may  be 
Eecorded  among  publick  Records  of  the  County  of  Ulster  and 
that  the  same  Record  may  be  and  remain  an  open  and  pulilick 
Eoad  in  Testimonv  whereof  We  have  hereunto  Set  our  hand  this 
26th  Day  of  March,  and  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord  Christ  1774. 

RICHARD  WOOLSEY 
LEWIS  DUBOIS 
CALEB  MERRITT 


A  Return  to  the  Laying  out  an  open  Pul)lick  Road  Two  Rods 
wide  agreeable  to  a  Petition  Signd  by  twelve  or  more  of  the 
Freeholders  of  the  Precinct  of  New  Marlborough  (To  Witt) 
Begining  at  a  Certain  white  oak  Tree  marked  Near  a  Little 
Bridge  on  the  Road  that  C^rosses  the  mountain  From  Latting 
Town  to  The  Platterkill  the  Said  Bridge  and  marked  Tree  is  a 
Little  to  the  Westward  of  the  Road  that  Leads  of  to  Rol)bort 
Everitts  Runing  from  Said  tree  a  Southerly  Course  Thro  a  Tract 
of  Land  Belonging  To  Lord  Sterling  Runing  Near  the  South 
Side  of  Robbert  Poors  fence  and  to  the  North  of  Henry  Dejos 
House  to  a  Large  Chestnut  Tree  marked  From  thence  thro  Capt 
David  ostronders  Land  To  a  Small  Black  oak  Tree  marked  the 
Said  tree  Stands  Near  the  Said  ostronders  Door  and  on  the  old 
Publick  Road  Also  Beginning  at  the  Southeast  Corner  of  the 
Said  Capt  David  ostronders  oarchard  at  a  Certain  Chestnut  Tree 
marked  The  Said  Tree  being  on  the  old  Pulilick  Road  Riming  from 
thence  to  the  westward  on  the  Devision  Line  Between  Jonathan 
ostronder  and  the  Said  David  ostronder  to  Daniel  Dejos  Line 
From  thence  Southerly  on  the  Devision  Line  Between  Jonathan 
Terwilleger  and  the  Said  Daniel  Dejo  To  the  Said  Daniel  Dejos 


Ancient  Roads.  185 


Southeast  Corner  From  thence  to  the  westward  on  the  Said  De- 
vision  Line  To  a  tree  marked  from  thence  Leavinfj  the  Said 
Devision  Line  and  Enning  a  South  westerly  Course  a  Cross  the 
Said  Jonathan  Tcrwilleger  Land  as  pr  marked  Trees  To  a 
Small  Black  Eock  near  the  Line  Betwen  Coll  Hashroucks  and 
the  Said  Terwilleger  from  Thence  Euning  to  the  westward 
on  the  Devision  Line  Between  the  Said  Hasbrouck  and  the  Said 
Jonathan  Terwilleger  to  the  Shawwangunk  Line  the  above  Eoad 
from  the  Corner  of  Capt  ostronders  oarchard  from  the  Chestnut 
tree  on  the  old  Publick  Eoad  to  the  Shawwangunk  Line  it  is 
Eequested  that  they  may  Keep  Swing  Gates  one  year  from  the 
first  of  December  1T81 

UEIAH  DEAKE  Commisoners  for 

Laving  out 

XATH'L  KELSY  publ  Eoads 

Most  of  this  road  appears  to  be  in  what  is  now 
Plattekill.  Can  anyone  determine  the  course  of  this 
road  and  where  it  lies? 


A  Eetum  of  an  open  Publick  Eoad  tM^o  Eods  wide  Laid  out 
this  18th  Day  of  March  1782  — The  Eoad  Euns  as  follows  (to 
witt)  Beginning  at  the  post  Eoad  a  Little  to  the  ISTorth  ward 
of  Zadok  Lewis  house  where  he  Xow  Lives  from  thence  up  by 
Edward  Hallecks  Senr  as  the  Eoad  now  Euns  to  the  Land  be- 
longing to  Zadok  Lewis  thence  Euning  a  Cross  the  Zodak  Lewises 
Land  as  the  Eoad  now  Euns  to  the  Land  Belonging  to  Nehe- 
miah  Smith  thence  Euning  Xearly  as  the  Eoad  now  Euns 
through  the  Said  Xehemiah  Smiths  Land  to  Land  belonging  to 
Zadok  Lewis.  Thence  upon  the  Line  betwen  The  Said  Zadok 
Lewis  and  Edward  Hallek  Senr  Thence  upon  the  Same  Line 
Betwen  the  Said  Zadok  Lewis  and  Alexander  Youngs  thence 
upon  the  Same  Line  betwen  the  Said  Alexander  Youngs  and 
John  Ayres  thence  Euning  upon  the  Same  Line  Betwen  the 
Said  John  Ayres  and  Urian  Mckey  to  the  Land  formerly  Be- 
longing to  Lattin  Carpenter  from  thence  Euning  IVearly  upon 
a  Strait  Line  to  a  Brook  at  or  near  the  North  End  of  an  old 
field  Formerly  Belonging  to  the  Said  Lattin  Carpenter  From 
thence  up  the  Hill  westerly  in  the  most  Conveniant  Place 
thence  by  a  Line  of  marked  Trees  acroos  Said  Land  to  the  Eoad 
that  Euns  from  Lattin  town  to  the  Xew  Paltz  thence  across 


186  History  of  Marlboeough. 

Said  Eoad  liy  a  Line  of  marked  Trees  to  the  Road  that  Runs 
from  Lattin  Town  to  the  Platter  Kill  as  for  a  Large  whiteoak 
Tree  marked  Xear  the  Said  Platter  Kill  Road. 

N.  B.  it  is  the  Request  of  the  uuijority  of  the  Petioners  for 
Said  Road  that  it  Shall  Remain  with  Bars  or  Gates  for  one 
year  from  this  Date  and  after  that  to  l)e  an  open  Road  and  to 
Remain  in  full  Testimony  among  other  Puhlick  Roads  as  wit- 
nes  our  hands  March  ye  18  1783 

CALEB  MERRITT 
XATH'L  KELSY 

Commisons 

This  is  the  road  at  the  willow  tree  running  west 
past  the  Moore  place  and  the  Michael  Kaley  place  and 
so  on  westward  substantially  as  it  is  today. 


]\Iarch  26-1782  A  Return  of  an  open  Road  Laid  out  two 
Rods  wide  By  the  Commisoners  of  Xew  Marlborough  Runing 
as  follows  (To  witt)  — 

Begining  at  the  River  at  Lowe  water  mark  by  a  Cedar  tree 
marked  upon  Anning  Smiths  Ijand  thence  Runing  a  Little  to 
the  South  of  the  house  whei'e  Isaac  Rowly  now  Lives  thence  up 
the  hill  in  the  most  Conveniant  Place  a  Little  to  the  South  of 
the  Said  Anning  Smiths  Grist  mill  Thence  Nearly  as  the  Road 
now  Runs  l)y  the  Said  anning  Smiths  house  across  the  Post 
Road  to  the  Line  1)etwen  the  Said  anning  Smith  and  Luff  Smith 
thence  upon  the  Same  Line  or  as  near  the  Line  as  Can  Con- 
veniantly  be  made  a  good  Road  to  the  north  of  Said  Luff  Smiths 
Said  mill  and  to  Continue  upon  or  near  the  Same  Line  as 
aforesaid  to  or  near  the  Road  that  Runs  thro  the  Land  of  the 
Said  anning  Smith  and  Luff  Smith  at  their  own  Expence 
Thense  from  Said  Line  Nearly  as  the  Road  now  Runs  across 
the  Said  anning  Smitlis  Land  To  Nathaniel  Kelsys  Line  Thence 
upon  the  Line  Betwen  the  Said  Anning  Smith  and  Nathaniel 
Eelsy  to  John  j\rol)ery  Smiths  Line  Thence  upon  the  Same 
Line  Betwen  the  Said  Nathaniel  Kelsy  and  John  Mobery  Smith 
to  Job  St  Johns  Line  Thence  upon  the  Same  Line  Betwen  the 
Said  John  Mobery  Smith  and  Job  St  John  to  or  near  the 
Said  Job  St  Johns  house  Thence  Nearly  as  the  Road  now  Runs 
through  the  Said  Job  St  Johns  Land  to  the  Said  Line  again 
Between  the  Said  Job  St  John  and  John  Mobery  Smith  thence 
upon  the  Same  Line  or  a  Cross  to  the  Road  that  Leads  from  the 
New  Paltz  to  Lattin  towai  thence  upon  the  Line  or  as  near  the 


Ancient  Koads.  187 


Line  as  Can  Conveniantl}-  be  made  a  Good  Eoad  Between 
Samuel  Lewis  and  Samuel  and  Adam  St  John  to  the  vacant 
Lands  in  the  mountains  Then  begining  back  at  or  near  a  Little 
Brook  upon  Said  Line  thence  Runing  ISTorthardly  up  a  hill  in 
the  most  Conveniant  place  thence  Euning  Ijy  a  Line  of  niarkt 
trees  to  the  westward  of  a  hollow  Called  Sugar  Hollow  a  Crost 
the  Lots  of  Land  belonging  to  adam  and  Samul  St  John  and 
Samul  and  Nathaniel  Hull  to  the  Same  Little  Brook  to  the 
Northward  of  Said  Sugar  Hollow  thence  to  the  westward  by 
a  Line  of  marked  trees  to  the  Northeast  Corner  of  Josiah 
Eltings  pattent  thence  upon  the  Land  Belonging  to  David 
Martin  to  Said  David  Martins  house  thence  Runing  Nearly  as 
the  Road  now  Run  with  the  allowance  of  Good  Swing  Gates  or 
bars  to  Josiah  Bakers  Line  thence  with  the  Said  allowance  of 
good  bars  or  gates  to  the  Said  Bakers  Land  the  aforesaid  Gates 
or  bars  to  be  Kept  in  Good  Repair  at  the  Said  David  Martins 
and  Josiah  Kakers  own  Expence  thence  through  the  Vacant 
Lands  by  or  near  a  Line  of  marked  trees  to  the  northe  of  Wil- 
liam Glands  Fence  thence  westerly  to  the  Paltz  Line  and  to 
Remain  in  full  Testimony  with  other  Pulilick  Roads  as  witnes 
our  hands 

CALEB  MERRITT 
NATH'L  KELSY 

Commisoners 

This  road  as  it  will  be  seen  commenced  on  Anning 
Smith's  land  at  the  river  and  ran  west  to  the  post 
road  (this  part  is  now  closed  up).  It  then  ran  west 
substantially  as  the  road  now  runs  from  the  post 
road  past  Peter  McManus'  place  and  then  continuing 
on  to  Pan-cake  Hollow  (which  then  must  have  been 
called  Sugar  Hollow)  then  on  to  what  is  now  Clinton- 
dale  till  it  met  the  Paltz  line. 


"We  the  Subscribers  Commissioners  appointed  to  Regulate 
and  Lay  out  Roads  in  the  Precinct  of  New  Marlborough  in  the 
County  of  Ulster  &  State  of  New  York  having  read  the  Peti- 
tion presented  us  &  and  signed  by  twelve  Freeholders  Inha])it- 
ants  of  said  Precinct  Praying  us  to  Lay  out  a  Common  Public 
Road  from  the  Road  Called  Lattin  town  Road  to  join  the  Road 
on  the  East  side  of  the  Great  AVild  ^Meadow  in  the  township  of 


188  History  of  Marlborough. 

New  Paltz  lately  Laid  out  by  the  Commissioners  of  New  Paltz 
from  the  Eoad  Commonly  Called  The  Eivor  Eoad  along  by  the 
Indian  orchard  &c  to  New  Marlborough  Precinct  And  We  Hav- 
ing taken  the  same  into  Consideration  and  taken  a  View  of  the 
Ground  Do  Judge  this  same  to  be  Necessary  and  Commodious 
as  well  for  the  Inhabitants  as  for  Travelers. 

Wherefore  We  the  Subscribers  have  agreeable  to  the  Prayers 
of  sd  Petition  laid  out  a  Common  Public  Road  from  the  South- 
erly End  of  sd  Paltz  Eoad  to  sd  Lattintown  Eoad  in  the  follow- 
ing manner  A'iz:  Begining  at  a  Black-oak  Tree  marked  on  the 
North  side  with  three  hacks  and  a  Blaze  Standing  in  the  Line 
Between  New  Paltz  &  New  ]\Iarlborougli  Precincts  at  the  south- 
erly End  of  sd  Eoad  laid  out  by  the  Commissioners  of  New 
Paltz  as  aforesad  and  Euns  from  Thence  Southerly  along  a  line 
of  marked  Trees  to  the  Field  in  the  Possession  of  one  Mr.  Hall 
and  through  the  sd  Field  near  the  west  End  of  the  House  of 
sd  Hall  to  a  Chessnut  Tree  Standing  near  a  Eun  of  Water  Then 
Euning  along  a  line  of  marked  trees  to  the  Field  of  Benjamin 
Stead  and  Going  through  the  same  to  a  Dry  tree  Standing  in 
the  sd  Field  and  Then  along  a  line  of  marked  Trees  to  sd  Lattin- 
town Eoad  at  a  Beach  Tree  marked  with  three  trees  hacks  and  a 
Blaze  Standing  near  the  House  of  Caleb  Stead  Given  Under 
our  Hands  this  14th  Day  of  November  Annogue  Domini  1784 

N.  B.    We  the  sd  Commissioners  of  New  Marlborough  Pre- 
cinct Do  hereby  order  that  the  sd  Eoad  laid  out  by  us  as  afore- 
said shall  be  four  Eods  Wide. 
Benjamin  Ely 

Clerk 

UEIAH  DEAKE 
HENEY  TEEBOS 

Commissioners 


By  virtue  of  an  Act  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of 
New  York  passed  in  March  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord  one  Thou- 
sand Seven  Hundred  and  Eighty  four  Entitled  an  Act  for  the 
Clearing  mending  and  for  the  Laying  out  publick  Eoads  and 
others  in  the  County  of  Ulster  —  We  Commissioners  for  puting 
in  Execution  the  good  purposses  of  the  Said  Act  and  more 
Especially  of  any  of  the  Freeholders  Inhabitants  of  the  Precinct 
of  New  Marlborough  Have  laid  out  an  open  publick  Eoad  two 
Eods  wide  begining  at  a  Certain  Blackoak  bush  marked  on  two 
Sides  near  the  head  of  Tenstone  Meadow  the  East  side  of  the 
old  Crossway  then  runing  AVesterly  over  the  Crossway  and  turn- 


Ancient  Roads,  189 


ing  Southeiiv  along  the  West  side  of  the  Meadow  as  near  as  tlie 
Land  will  allow  Southerly  to  John  Seotts  Line  then  Southerly 
hy  k  Corse  of  Marked  Trees  to  John  Ares  and  so  to  continue 
Southerly  along  hy  a  Line,  of  marked  Trees  in  the  most  con- 
venient place  of  land  until  it  comes  to  the  Land  of  Samuel 
Whyatt  and  Andrew  Gee  and  as  near  the  Line  of  Division  as 
Conveniently  can  he  made  between  them  both  to  remove  a 
certain  old  Crossway  to  the  Foot  of  a  Hill  the  Westerly  Sidi 
of  t'no  Swamp  and  then  to  follow  the  Marked  Trees  Eound  tlie 
Hill  untill  it  comes  to  Samuel  Whyats  fence  then  Euning 
through  the  Corner  of  Said  Whyatts  Lott  South  Westerly  to  a 
Wliite  Oak  Tree  standing  in  the  Road  that  leads  from  N"ew 
Burrough  to  the  Platter  Kiln  which  Eoad  were  by  Virtue  <jf  the 
Said  above  mentioned  Act  order  and  Appoint  the  same  to  be  an 
open  Eoad  through  as  much  of  the  Said  precinct  as  is  before 
J.)irectcd  and  we  also  Desire  that  agreeable  to  Law  and  the  said 
Act  this  the  same  be  Eecorded  among  the  publick  Eecords  of  the 
]*recinct  and  in  order  that  the  same  may  be  and  Eemain  an 
open  Eoad  In  Testimony  whereof  We  have  hereunto  Set  our 
Hands  and  Seals  this  Twenty  Six  Day  of  April  in  the  Year  of 
our  Lord  one  Thousand  Seven  Hundred  and  Eightv  Six 

LEO^TAED  SMITH 
EEUBEX  DEAKE 

Commissioners 

This  road  is  all  in  what  is  now  Plattekill ;  it  is  sub- 
stantially the  road  that  runs  from  the  Milton  turnpike 
at  Kostendieck's  corner  to  the  vallev. 


I^aid  out  in  the  Town  of  Xew  Marlborough  in  Ulster  County 
the  21st  Day  of  March  1789  According  to  Law  by  the  commis- 
sioners of  Highways  for  sd  Town  Begining  at  the  Line  of  the 
East  Bounds  of  John  Banckers  Farm  now  in  Possession  of 
Lattin  Carpenter  near  a  Blacksmith  Shop  and  Precisely  at  a 
certain  Bridge  over  the  Crick  a  little  South  of  Thomas  Eays 
House  Euning  thence  from  the  Lattin  Town  Eoad  Westward 
nearly  as  the  Eoad  now  Euns  across  said  Farm  to  the  Xorth 
East  Corner  of  Jolm  Caverly's  Land  thence  Euning  the  North 
?ide  of  the  Line  Between  the  Land  of  the  sd  John  Caverly  and 
the  Land  of  the  said  John  Bancker  or  as  nearly  so  as  Can  be 
made  a  good  Eoad  t»  a  Blaekoak  Tree  marked  Thence  Euning 
nearly  as  the  Eoad  now  Goes  to  a  Small  Brook  thence  near  the 


190  History  of  Marlborough. 


North  Side  of  said  Brook  by  a  Line  of  Marked  Trees  or  near  said 
Line  of  Marked  Trees  as  is  most  convenient  for  a  Eoad  to  the 
south  East  Corner  of  the  Field  now  in  Possession  of  Henry  Hyde 
from  thence  nearly  as  the  Eoad  now  Euns  to  sd  Hydes  House 
then  Southwardly  nearly  as  the  Eoad  now  Goes  to  a  Large  White 
Oak  Tree  Marked  standing-  a  little  to  the  North  of  Dan']  Cooks 
House  tlicn  Euning  through  the  Woods  by  a  Line  of  Marked 
Tree>^  to  Ihe  outlet  of  the  Pine  Swamp  thence  Euning  by  a 
Line  of  Marked  Trees  to  the  Eoad  Laid  out  acrost  the  Moun- 
tains Adjoining  said  Eoad  by  a  small  Black  Oak  Tree  Marked, 
The  above  is  to  be  a  Eoad  Eods  Wide  and  Equal  Testimony 
with  other  Pul)lic  Eoads  on  the  Eecords  of  the  Town  of  New 
Marlborough 

LEONAED  SMITH  Commissioners 

NATHANIEL  KELSEY     of  H.  Ways. 

This  it  would  appear  is  the  road  which  runs  west 
from  Lattiiitown  across  the  mountain. 


A  Eeturn  of  an  Open  Publick  Eoad  Laid  out  four  Eods  Wide 
by  the  Commissioners  of  the  Town  of  Marlborough  in  the  Month 
of  November  in  Anno  Domini  1790  as  follows 

Begining  at  the  Highway  that  leads  from  John  Bonds  Over 
the  Mountains  Westerly  a  little  Southerly  of  Thomas  Wygants 
House  from  thence  North  as  the  Lane  now  runs  to  John  Wygants 
Land  then  Westerly  as  the  Lane  Euns  to  the  Foot  of  the  Mount- 
tains  then  Westerly  up  and  Eising  the  Mountains  nearly  as  the 
Eoad  now  Euns  to  near  to  the  Top  of  the  Mountains  then 
Southerly  in  the  most  convenient  place  Still  Eising  the  j\Ioun- 
tains  to  the  top  thereof  Then  from  the  Top  of  the  Mountains 
a  Westerly  course  in  most  convenient  place  to  the  Fall  thereof 
on  the  west  side  of  them  then  Southwest  Down  the  mountains 
near  a  small  run  of  Water  near  David  Pemljrooks  field  from 
thence  about  a  West  northwest  Course  in  the  most  Convenient 
Place  till  it  Joins  the  Line  Between  the  Town  of  Marlborough 
and  New  Borough  to  l)e  and  remain  an  Open  Publick  Eoad  and 
l)ear  Equal  Testimony  with  other  Publick  Eeccords. 

DAVID  MEEITT 
ANANIAS  VOLENTINE 

Commissioners 

This  is  the  break-neck  hill  road. 


Ancient  Eoads.  191 


A  Keturn  of  ax  Open  Publick  Eoad  as  Follow  : 

We  the  Commissioners  for  the  Town  of  Marlborough  in  the 
year  1790  in  the  Month  of  June.'  By  a  Petition  from  the  Free- 
holders and  Inhabitants  of  Said  Town  for  a  Publick  Eoad  or 
Highway  from  Latting  Town  to  Hudson  River  have  Laid  it  out 
as  follows :  Beginning  at  or  near  the  House  of  David  Meritt 
and  to  keep  the  old  Eoad  through  Latting  Town  to  the  Lands 
known  by  the  name  of  Goldings  Eidge  within  Ten  or  Twelve 
Eods  of  Henry  Woolsey  house  from  in  the  Edge  of  the  feild 
Xorth  of  SaidWoolseys  house  Eunning  in  the  fieilds  to  the  bottom 
of  the  first  hill  Coming  down  said  Hill  where  it  Shall  be  most 
Convenient  for  the  Easment  of  Said  Road  from  thence  along 
the  old  Eoad  through  the  Lands  now  in  Possession  of  N'oah 
"Woolsey  Continueing  the  old  Eoad  near  a  Certain  Eock  from 
thence  to  go  through  the  Corner  of  a  field  of  the  Lands  of 
Nathaniel  Harcourt  the  South  Side  of  Said  Eock  where  it  Shall 
be  thought  most  Convenient  for  Said  Eoad  thence  in  the  old 
Eoad  through  the  Lands  of  Daniel  Knowlton  to  turn  round  the 
Corner  of  Said  Knowltons  Orchard  up  the  Side  of  the  Hill 
thence  into  the  old  Eoad  Again  and  to  follow  that  down  to  the 
main  Post  Eoad,  tlie  Said  Eoad  to  be  three  Eods  wide  from  the 
Place  of  Beginning  to  the  main  Post  Eoad  from  thence  four 
Eods  to  the  Eiver  as  the  Eoad  now  Euns  through  lands  of  Elijah 
Lewis  and  from  the  Top  of  the  Hill  near  Solomon  Townsend 
Dwelling  house  Said  Eoad  is  to  Extend  four  Eods  Down  the  hill 
from  the  upper  Side  of  the  Road  as  it  now  Runs  Down  to  Lewis 
Lime  Kiln:  the  Said  Road  to  go  Either  Side  of  Said  Elijah 
Lewis  Dwelling  house  wherever  it  Shall  be  thought  most  Con- 
venient for  the  good  of  the  Puldick  Down  to  Low  Water  Mark 
to  Extend  four  Rods  up  and  four  Rods  down  the  River  from  the 
Lime  Kiln 

Also  another  Part  of  Said  Road  beginning  upon  The  top  of 
the  Hill  the  north  Side  of  Solomon  Townsend  Dwelling  house 
about  four  Rods  from  Said  House  Running  nearly  as  the  Road 
now  Runs  down  to  the  north  Corner  of  Solomon  Townsend 
Store  House  four  Eods  wide  from  the  other  Eoad  that  Leads 
down  to  Elijah  Lewis  to  Corner  of  said  Store  House 

Given  under  our  hands  this  IT  Day  June  1790 

LLDLAM  SMITH  Commissioners 

STEPHEX  XOTIXGHAM  of  Higways 

DAXIEL  EVEEITT 
BEX J AM IX  CAEPEXTEE 


192  History  of  Marlborough. 

This  is  the  road  from  Lattintown  to  the  Hudson 
Eiver  at  the  old  Jacob  Powell  dock  and  stone  house, 
substantially^  as  it  now  exists;  for  years  previous  to 
1790  this  road  had  been  traveled  but  it  had  never  been 
formerly  laid  out  until  this  time  and  at  this  time  sev- 
eral changes  were  made  to  make  a  better  grade  around 
the  hills.  The  Solomon  Townsend  store  house  spoken 
of  was  afterward  the  Powell  store  house  and  from 
the  dock  a  line  of  sloops  had  been  running  to  New 
York  for  years  and  all  the  people  from  miles  back  in 
the  interior  passed  over  this  road  to  the  river  and 
shipped  their  wood  and  produce. 

The  different  branches  of  this  road  at  the  river  are 
now  all  closed  up  or  abandoned  except  one.  It  was  a 
very  busy  place  about  here  then 


Whe  the  Commisioners  of  High  ways  for  the  Town  of  Marl- 
borough being  Called  upon  by  a  Numl^er  of  Freeholders  acord- 
ing  to  Law  to  Lay  out  a  Pul^lick  High  way  Begining  as  follows 
at  a  crotched  appel  tree  Standing  on  the  Nort  Side  of  a  Eoad 
Leading  from  the  Post  Eoad  Near  the  Friends  meting  house 
Leading  to  Jacb  Powel  Landing  thence  from  Said  appel  tree 
Northerly  to  Bunch  of  wild  Charitrees  from  thence  To  a  Car- 
tain  Eidge  or  Ledge  of  Eocks  on  the  west  Side  of  Said 
Eidge  and  as  Nier  to  It  as  Convenantly  thence  North- 
ardly  to  a  white  wood  Sapling  Standing  on  the  South  Side  of 
a  Ditch  or  Eun  of  wauter  Said  Saplin  Has  a  Piece  of  Bark  of 
the  west  Side  an  thece  along  a  certain  Path  Lately  Cut  open 
Norterly  to  HutSons  Eiver  at  the  Comer  Between  Eichard 
Lewis  and  Zeadock  Lewis  at  High  wauters  Mark  and  Said  Eoad 
to  be  an  open  Publick  Eoad  or  Highway  Four  Eods  wide  whe 
Do  Certify  the  above  to  l^e  a  threw  Eeturn  of  the  above  Eoad 
Said  Eoad  this  10  Day  of  Fabruary  1795 

COENELIUS  DEAIvE         Commisioners 

of 

LUDLUM  SMITH  Highways  1795 

The  road  spoken  of  as  commencing  near  the 
Friends  Meeting  House  and  running  to  Powell's  Dock 


Ancient  Roads.  193 


is  substantially  the  road  commencing  at  the  post  road 
at  Sturgeon's  house  and  runs  to  the  place  formerly 
owned  by  Capt.  Sears  to  the  river  where  the  old  Town- 
send  stone  house  stood.  The  meeting  house  stood  on 
the  south  side  of  the  Lattintown  road  just  before  it 
reached  the  post  road  and  the  Powell  dock  was  in 
front  of  the  old  stone  house.  Jacob  and  Thomas 
Powell  kept  a  store  and  tavern  there  in  the  stone 
house  and  the  road  above  laid  out  is  the  road  that 
turns  from  this  road  at  Captain  James  Hyde's  place. 
It  is  the  same  now  as  when  laid  out. 


A  Eetnrn  of  an  Open  Eoad  Laid  out  In  the  Town  of  Xew 
marl  Burough  5  Day  of  May  1795  Agreeabele  to  an  Act  Passed 
for  the  Laying  out  and  Establiahing  Publick  Roads  in  the  State 
of  New  york  By  a  Potition  of  the  Freholders  and  Inhabitants 
of  the  Town  afforsaid  for  a  Publick  Eoad  Begining  at  a  Cartain 
Eoad  that  Lied  from  Newburgh  To  Esopus  Euning  Xort  At  the 
House  of  Peter  McCoon  Beginning  and  Euning  with  a  Soud- 
east  Corse  as  the  old  Eoad  Euns  thro  the  Lands  of  Benjamin 
Sands  on  the  East  Side  of  a  Cartain  Maddow  and  Along  the 
Said  madow  In  the  most  Convenant  Place  and  So  By  a  Black- 
smith Shop  along  the  Same  Eoad  untill  It  Comes  to  the  House 
of  Deniel  Eavortt  on  the  Sought  Side  of  His  House  on  the 
Dock  to  Low  warters  mark  of  the  Eiver  In  the  most  Con- 
veenentest  Place  to  he  an  open  PulDlick  Highway  of  four  Eods 
wide  for  Convenency  of  the  Contry  or  Town 
Given  under  our  Hands  thes  5  Day  May  1795 

XOAH  WOOLSEY  "  Commissioners 

of  Highways 

SOLOMOX  FOWLEE      fo  the  Year  1795 

Tlie  house  of  Peter  McCoon  was  on  the  site  of  the  Woolsey 
Iniilding,  and  the  road  is  the  one  running  from  there  to  the 
river. 


A  Return  of  an  open  Publick  Eoad  Laid  out  By  the  Com- 
missioners of  the  Town  of  ]\Iorlburough  Begining  at  a  Certain 
Dock  of  Eichard  Lewis  Nier  the  niiddel  of  Jacob  Powel  and 


194  History  of  Marlborough. 

Levy  Qiiimby  Docks  at  High  waiiter  jnark  Eims  Northward 
By  a  Line  of  marked  trees  to  the  South  Side  of  the  Land  of 
Joshua  Suttons  and  So  throo  the  Land  of  Said  Sutton  and 
fields  and  thence  aLong  the  Said  fiekl  on  the  East  Side  of  Said 
fields  Untill  It  Comes  to  Levui  Quimby  Lot  and  along  the 
west  Side  of  Said  Quimby  Lott  until  It  Comes  to  the  Main 
Eoad  that  Lieds  to  Quimby  Dock  whe  Do  Hereby  Certify  the 
Eoad  to  be  a  Publick  open  Eoad  to  be  and  Eeman  a  Eublick 
Eoad  of  four  Eods  wide  Given  under  our  Hands  this  10  Day 
of   fabuary    1795 

COENELIUS  DEAKE 

Comniisioner 

LrDLCni  SMITH 

It  ai)pears  from  the  above  descriptiou  that  Lewis, 
Powell  and  Quimby  all  had  docks  along  tlie  river  in 
the  same  vicinity  and  that  the  above  road  was  laid  out 
to  connect  them. 


We  the  Comisheners  of  high  ways  have  Laid  out  a  New  Eoad 
Begining  on  Hutsin  Eiver  at  the  water  at  a  Plase  the  old  Ship 
Yard  Laying  Between  Two  pints  at  a  walnut  Sapling  from 
Thens  Up  the  Bank  To  a  Ston  wall  South  To  Nathanil  Har- 
cort  and  John  AVoods  Corner  thens  Sowestly  Up  the  Hill  till 
It  Striks  the  old  Eoad  Baring  the  Same  Corse  a  Crost  the  Said 
Eoad  Upon  the  Side  Hill  till  it  Striks  a  Slate  Eock  thense  on 
To  the  Top  of  Hill  then  Northwestely  To  the  Main  Eoad  near 
a  Small  Stone  hous  Beloening  to  Nath  Harcort  then  Begining 
at  a  Large  Chusnet  Tree  North  of  Nath  Harcorts  Euning 
northwestly  with  the  path  Now  in  Use  till  meats  with  the 
Eoad  Euning  from  hutsons  Eiver  To  Leafing  Town  near 
Noah  AVoolsey  and  Benj  Sands  Two  Eoads  Wide,  Marlborough 
April  5  1794" 

PETEE  McCUNE 
DANIEL  LOCKWOOD 
JONATHAN  BALY 

The  old  ship  yard  here  spoken  of  was  where  Jolirr 
or  Jacob  Wood  or  both  built  sloops  and  vessels  for 
many  years,  and,  on  this  road  is  the  large  boarding 
house  of  Stephen  Woolsey.  What  is  now  called  Dog 
street,  commenced  at  the  river  there  and  at  its  head 


Ancient  Roads.  195 


on  th-e  post  road  there  used  to  be  a  little  stoue  house 
close  to  the  road.  At  my  earliest  recollection  it  was 
standing  and  a  colored  family  lived  in  it.  It  seems 
the  road  then  passed  on  till  it  came  to  a  large  chest- 
nut tree.  The  tree  is  still  standing  and  has  been  a 
land  mark  ever  since  the  country  vras  settled.  The 
road  ran  from  there  to  the  Lattintown  road  at  the 
house  of  the  late  Charles  Woolsey.  This  road  is  the 
same  as  when  laid  out  and  had  been  used  more  or  less 
for  a  long  time  previous  to  this  time  but  was  simply  a 
lane  running  through  woodlands  and  not  dedicated  to 
the  public.  The  very  oldest  road  was,  I  presume,  the 
King's  Highway,  laid  out  under  an  old  colonial  act, 
being  the  road  running  north  and  south  through  the 
town  along  the  river. 


An  Act  to  Incorporate  the  Farmers'  Turnpike  and  Bridge 
Company.     Passed  March  11th,   1808. 

Be  it  enacted  *  *  *  That  Tjerick  Van  Keiiren, 
Xathaniel  Lefever,  Jacob  Ransom,  WilHam  Dusenbur}^  and 
Isaac  Hill  and  all  such  persons  as  shall  associate  with  them, 
]\Y  becoming  subscriljers  to  make  a  good  and  sufficient  turnpike 
road  to  begin  at  or  near  the  store  of  James  Denton  in  the  Tow]i 
of  Marlborough  near  the  landings  of  Hill,  Sands  and  Town- 
send,  running  from  thence  westerly  the  most  convenient 
route,  and  as  near  the  old  road  as  the  make  of  the  ground  will 
admit,  to  where  the  two  roads  intersect  near  the  house  of  Peter 
Frisiner  in  the  Town  of  Plattekill,  and  thence  continuing 
westerly  nearly  straight  and  crossing  the  Wallkill  at  the  north- 
easterly bounds  of  Tjerck  Van  Keuren,  and  from  thence  by  the 
most  convenient  route  to  the  house  of  Thomas  Harris  in  the 
Town  of  Shawangunk,  shall  be  and  are  hereljy  created  a  body 
corporate  and  politic  in  fact  and  in  name,  by  the  name  of  "  the 
president,  directors  and  company  of  the  Farmers'  Turnpike 
road  and  Bridge  Company,"  and  by  that  name  they  shall  be 
capable  in  law  to  purchase,  have,  hold,  enjoy,  and  retain  to> 
them  and  their  successors  lands,  tenements,  hereditaments, 
goods,  chattels  and  effects  of  every  kind  whatsoever,  to  the 
amount  of  five   thousand   dollars. 


196  History  of  Marlborough. 

And  be  it  furtlier  enacted.  That  the  stock  of  said  company 
hereby  incor^^orated,  shall  consist  of  six  hundred  shares  of 
twenty  dollars  each;  and  that  Selah  Tuthill  and  Thaddeus 
Haight  shall  be  and  are  hereljy  appointed  commissioners  to 
receive  subscriptions  for  said  stock  in  the  manner  directed  in 
and  by  the  act,  entitled,  ''An  Act  Eelative  to  Turnpike  Com- 
panies," passed  the  thirteenth  day  of  j\rarch  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  seven. 

Provided  Always,  That  if  after  the  full  amount  of  the  said 
600  shares  shall  have  l)een  appropriated  and  expended  ])y  the 
president  and  directors  of  the  said  company  for  the  purpose 
of  making  the  said  turnpike  road  and  building  the  bridge  at 
the  places  aforesaid,  and  if  the  sum  so  appropriated  shall  be 
found  insufficient  to  effect  the  purpose  aforesaid,  it  shall  and 
may  be  lawful  for  the  said  president  and  directors,  in  order 
to  complete  the  said  road  and  l)ridge,  to  increase  the  funds  of 
the  said  corporation  by  adding  a  sum  not  exceeding  $5  on  each 
share  in  the  whole  stock,  which  sum  so  to  l)e  added  shall  l)e 
in  equal  ratio  upon  each  and  every  share. 

And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful 
for  the  president  and  directors  to  demand  from  the  stock  hold- 
ers respectively,  all  such  sums  of  money  by  them  subscribed,  or 
to  be  subscribed,  and  also  the  advance  sum  of  $5  on  each  share 
in  case  an  increase  of  stock  shall  be  found  requisite,  at  such 
times  and  in  such  proportions  as  the  said  president  and  directors 
shall  see  tit,  under  pain  of  forfeiture  of  their  shares  and  all  the 
previous  payments  thereon  to  the  said  president  and  directors. 

And  ])e  it  further  enacted.  That  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful 
for  the  president  and  directors  of  said  company  to  erect  2  gates 
or  turnpikes,  on  and  across  the  said  road,  one  whereof  shall 
be  erected  at  the  distance  of  not  less  than  3  miles  from  Den- 
ton's store  aforesaid  and  one  other  gate  or  turnpike  at  or  upon 
the  bridge  to  be  made  across  the  Wallkill  aforesaid  in  the  route 
of  said  road. 

And  be  it  further  enacted.  That  the  said  company  hereby 
incorporated  shall  l)e  entitled  exact  and  receive  at  each  of  the 
said  gates  or  turnpikes,  to  be  erected  on  said  road  and  bridge 
from  all  persons  traveling  and  using  the  same  the  following 
rates  to  toll,  to  wit:  For  every  wagon  with  two  horses,  mules 
or  oxen,  ten  cents  and  three  cents  for  every  additional  horse, 
mule  or  oxen ;  for  every  one  horse  cart,  five  cents ;  for  every 
coach,  coachee,  phaeton  or  curricle  with  two  horses,  twenty 
cents;  for  every  chair,  chaise  or  other  one  horse  carriage,  ten 


Ancient  Roads.  197 


cents:  for  every  cart  drawn  I)y  two  oxen,  horses  or  ninles, 
six  cents,  and  for  every  additional  ox,  mule  or  horse,  three 
cents;  for  everv  horse  and  rider,  or  led  horse  or  mule,  four 
cents ;  for  everv  sleigh  or  sled,  drawn  by  two  horses,  mule  or  ox, 
five  cents  and  for  additional  horse,  mule  or  ox,  two  cents ;  for 
every  score  of  cattle,  horses  or  mules,  sixteen  cents,  and  so  in 
proportion  for  a  greater  or  less  number;  for  every  score  of 
sheep  or  hog,  six  cents ;  for  every  stage-wagon,  drawn  by  two 
horses  or  mules,  ten  cents,  and  for  every  additional  horse  or 
mule,  three  cents. 

And  be  it  further  enacted.  That  the  company  hereby  incor- 
porated shall  have  and  enjoy  all  the  rights,  privileges,  powers, 
and  immunities  which  are  given  and  granted  in  and  by  the 
aforesaid  act.  entitled,  "An  Act  Eelative  to  Turnpike  Com- 
panies." and  shall  be  su])ject  to  all  the  conditions,  provisions, 
restrictions  and  regulations  contained  in  the  said  act. 

Provided  nevertheless.  That  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful,  for 
the  said  company  to  appoint  five  directors  of  which  numl)er 
three  shall  be  a  quorum ;  and  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  the 
said  company  to  work  the  road  twenty  feet  in  width,  exclusive 
of  the  ditches,  and  that  the  said  company  may  erect  a  toll  gate, 
when  they  shall  have  completed  the  first  six  miles  thereof 
agreeable  to  the  true  intent  and  meaning  of  this  act.  and  to 
ask  and  receive  the  rate  of  toll  aforesaid  provided  also,  that  it 
shall  be  the  duty  of  the  president  and  directors,  incorporated 
by  this  act,  when  application  had  before  them  from  any  person 
or  persons  traveling  said  road,  not  more  than  five  miles  west 
from  the  Hudson  Eiver  aforesaid,  to  commute  with  such  person 
or  persons  and  regulate  the  toll  at  said  gate  to  be  erected,  not 
less  than  three  miles  from  the  store  of  said  James  Denton,  so 
as  that  such  persons  shall  not  pay  more  toll  than  is  proper  for 
the  number  of  miles  they  shall  travel  on  said  turnpike,  that  is 
to  say,  at  the  rate  of  12  1-2  cents  for  ten  miles,  for  wagon 
drawn  by  two  horses  and  so  in  ])roportion  for  every  other 
carriage : 

Provided  always.  That  nothing  in  this  act  contained  shall 
prevent  the  Legislature  from  directing  the  said  corporation,  at 
any  time  hereafter  to  extend  the  width  of  the  said  road,  to 
twenty-four  feet,  and  if  the  said  company  shall  refuse  or  neg- 
lect to  comply  with  such  directions  that  then,  and  in  such  case, 
all  right  and  interest  of  said  company,  of,  in  and  to  said  road 
shall  vest  in  the  people  of  this  state. 


198  History  of  Marlborough. 

This  charter  was  amended  in  1828  as  follows : 

Sect.  1  It  shall  he  lawful  for  the  Farmers'  Turnpike  Road 
and  Bridge  Company  in  the  County  of  Ulster,  to  demand  and 
receive  at  the  gate  erected  on  said  road,  and  from  all  persons 
using  the  same,  tlie  following  rates  of  toll,  to  wit :  For  every 
wagon  witli  two  horses  or  oxen,  six  cents;  for  every  wagon  with 
one  horse,  four  cents,  and  in  all  other  cases  of  the  payment  of 
toll,  the  directors  of  said  company  are  herehy  directed  to  regu- 
late and  reduce  the  rates  thereof,  to  any  sum  not  less  than  one- 
half  of  the  amount  fixed  in  and  by  the  act  of  incorporation  of 
said  company,  passed  March  11th,  1808:  Imt  every  person  when 
passing  tlirougli  said  gate  to  or  from  public  worship,  or  a 
funeral  or  a  grist  mill  for  the  grinding  of  grain  for  his  family 
use,  or  a  l)lacksmitirs  shop  to  which  he  usually  resorts  for  work 
to  be  done  or  attending  Court  when  legally  summoned  as  a 
juror  or  witness,  or  a  militia  training  when  required  by  law  to 
attend,  or  a  town  meeting  or  election  at  which  he  is  entitled 
to  vote,  or  going  for  a  physician  or  midwife  or  returning  there- 
from, or  to  or  from  his  common  Inisiness  on  his  farm. 

Sect.  2  Xotliing  in  this  act  contained  shall  prevent  the  Legis- 
lature from  altering  or  repealing  it  at  any  time  when  it  shall 
think  proper. 

This  turnpike  was  completed  on  or  before  1812,  and 
was  an  exceedingly  good  road  for  the  times.  As  will 
be  seen,  it  crossed  the  Wallkill  into  Shawangnnk,  now 
Gardiner,  and  lieyond  and  through  Tuttletown,  at 
that  time  a  thriving  place  wnth  great  water  power, 
several  mills  etc.  This  road  opened  up  a  large 
country;  in  fact  people  crossed  the  mountains  here  at 
what  is  now  called  The  Traps,  a  pass  in  the  Shawan- 
gnnk mountains,  from  the  valleys  to  the  west.  It 
opened  up  a  large  tract  of  country  which  became 
tributary  to  Milton,  people  bringing  their  produce 
here  for  shipment  to  the  city  by  sloops  and  barges. 
Grains  of  all  kinds,  beef  and  j^ork,  fat  cattle,  butter, 
sheep  and  wool,  wood,  hay  etc.,  were  brought  from 
long  distances  back  in  the  country,  many  requiring 
a  day  to  come  and  another  to  return.  Tlie  road  was 
often  blocked  with  teams  and  wagons  extending  from 


Ancient  Koads.  199 


the  post  road  at  the  village  to  the  river.  It  added 
great  prosperity  to  the  Milton  part  of  the  town  for 
thirty  years  or  more.  Lumber  of  all  kinds  was  sold 
here,  also  building  supplies  and  all  kinds  of  iron  for 
blacksmith  work.  There  were  tailors,  hatters,  cabinet 
makers  and  artisans  of  all  kinds;  there  were  soap 
works,  sash  and  blind  factory,  and  a  paper  was 
printed,  and  during  this  time  Milton  saw  its  greatest 
prosperity;  but  the  back  country  was  afterward 
opened  up  by  roads  to  other  parts  and  the  turnpike 
was  discontinued  in  about  1860.  Capt.  Jacob  Handley 
controlled  most  of  the  stock  of  the  road  for  several 
years  before  and  at  the  time  it  was  discontinued.  The 
very  old  people  along  the  route  of  the  road  will  well 
remember  the  large  amount  of  trouble  over  it.  There 
was  said  to  be  twenty  taverns  along  the  road  for  the 
use  and  convenience  of  the  men  and  teams,  mostly 
the  men,  who  could  obtain  their  meals  for  a  trifle  and 
the  best  of  rums  and  whiskeys  at  three  cents  a  glass. 


CHAPTP^K  VII. 


Maeks  of  Cattle. 

At  the  time  of  the  first  settlement  of  this  commu- 
nity, it  was  the  custom  to  brand  cattle  that  each  owner 
might  readily  distinguish  his  property  from  that  of 
his  neighliors.  Following  is  a  description  of  some  of 
the  various  brands : 


lip 


for 


Men 

Lewis  Diil)ois 
Caleb   Merritt 

This     mark     Taken 
By    David    Staples 
John  Woolsey 

Eichard  AVoolsey 

John  Yonng 

Abner    Brnsh 

This       is      altered 
Henry   Torl)ose 
David  Merritt 

This    Mark   is   taken    up 
by     David     :\r     Hait 
June   20th   178G 
Galn'iel  Merritt 

This  ^lark  is   Taken  np 
for   Xathan    Salslnirv 
Abijah   Perkins 

This  is  Altered  for  Ben- 
jamin  Ely    1784 
William  ^Martin 

N".  B.  this  :\rark  is  Al- 
tered and  Taken  iip  l)y 
Seth  Husin 
This  mark  Ts  taken  n|) 
By  Thadius  Haio-ht 
Mav  24,   i:9G 


]\rarks 
One  Hole  in  Each  Ear 
One  hole  in  the  right  and  a  half 

pennv  the  upper  side  of  ve  left 

Ear  " 
One  hole  in  ye  right  and  a  Crop 

in  the  Left  Ear 
A  crop  in  ve  Left  tSr  2   Slits  and 

a  Slit  in  the  right  Ear 
A  Slope  the  under  side  of  the  left 

Eare 
A  Crop  of  the  Left  and  a  slit  in 

the  same   Ear 

A    Orop   of   the   Left   Ear   and    a 
hole  in  the  right  and  in  ve  Left 


A  Hole  in  the  right  Ear  and  a 
half  })enny  ye  under  of   it 

A  Slope  the  u])per  side  of  ye  right 
&  a  half  penny  ye  under  side  of 
ye   same 

A  Slit  in  each  ear  and  half-penny 
the  upper  side  of  ye  right 


202 


History  of  Marlboeough. 


Men 
David  Martin 
taken     np      By 
Semore 
Nathal.  Kilsey 

^^ithl.  Hull 

Eichaixl  AVoolsy 


Jacob  Dayton 

altered     to     a     Swallow 
fork    in    Each    Ear    & 
the  D   in   forehead 
David  ostronder 


Joshna   Sntton 


Edward  Hallock 

taken  up  bv  James  Hal- 
lock 
Edward  Hallock  Junior 
taken     up     by     Nicholas 
Hallock 
Daniel  Ivnowlton 

this    mark    Is    taken    up 
By      James       Quiml^y 
Junr 
Eight  Carpenter 
Nehemiah  Smith 


Samuel  Hallock 

This    Mark    is    taken    I'p 
by   Foster   Hallock 


Marks 
A  Slit  in  the  left  ear  and  a  half 
Daniel        penny  the  upper  sid  ye  right 


A  Crop  in  the  left  ear  and  a  half 
penny  under  the  same 

A  crop  in  the  right  ear  &  a  hapny 
the  under  side 

A  Crop  of  the  Left  Ear  a  Slit  in 
the  Crop  a  half  penny  the  un- 
der Side  of  the  Same  Ear  a 
Slit  in  the  Bight  Ear  a  half 
penny  the  back  Side  of  the 
Same 

A  Slit  in  the  off  Ear  and  a  half- 
penny the  under  Side  of  the 
near  one  and  a  D  in  the  fore- 
head 

A  half  penny  ye  under  Side  of  ye 
Bight  Ear  a  Slit  in  the  Left 
Ear  under  Side 

A  Crop  of  the  Left  Ear  and  a  half 
penny  the  under  Side  of  the 
Same  and  a  half  penny  the  up- 
per Side  of  the  Bight  Ear  and 
a  hole  in  the  Left 

A  Slop   Crop  of  the  right   Ear 


A  Crop  of  ye  left  Ear 


A  Crop  off  ye  left  ear  and  a  Slope 
ve  under  side  of  the  right 


A  Swallows  tail  in  the  right  Ear 
A  Crop  of  the  Left  Eare  and  a 
half-peney  the  under  side  of 
the  same  and  a  halfpeny  the 
upper  side  of  the  Bight 
A  Slope  the  under  side  of  Each 
Eare 


Marks  of  Cattle. 


203 


Anning  Smith 

this  mark  is  alterd  below 
on  this  Leaf 

Benjamin  Woolsy 

this  mark  is  taken  up  hy 
Mathew  Burvann 
John  C'averly 

This    mark    altered    For 
William   Caverly 

Benjamin  Ely 


jSToah  Woolsey 

This  mark  taken  up 
May  26,  1836  by 
Zephaniah    Xorthrip 

Charles  Woolley 


Nathaniel   Harcourt 

Feb  20th  1824  this  mark 
taken  up  By  Nathan- 
iel   Harcourt 

Richard    Carpenter 


A  Crop  of  the  near  Bare  and  a 
hapeney  the  under  Side  of 
Each  and  a  hapeney  the  upper 
Side  of  the  Right 

A  Crop  of  the  Left  Ear  and  a 
hole  in  the  Same 

a  Halfpenny  on  the  Upper  Side 
of  Each  Ear  N.  B.  this  Mark 
bas  been  Used  -l)y  Samuel 
Townsend 

A  Slope  in  the  Upper  Side  of  the 
Right  Ear  and  a  half  Penny 
the  Under  Side  of  the  Same 
Ear  N.  B.  this  Mark  was  for- 
merly Used  by  and  for  Doctor 
ABijah  Perkins 

A  half  Crop  the  Under  Side  of  the 
Right  Ear  and  a  Slit  in  the  left 
Ear 

a  Crop  of  the  Right  Ear  and  a 
nick  under  the  Same  Also  a 
Brand  with  the  Letter  W 

A  Crop  in  the  right  ear  and  a  Slit 
in  the  left  Ear 


A   Swallow's  Tale  in  ye  left  Ear 


There  are  a  large  number  of  these  marks  recorded 
in  an  ancient  record  of  the  town.  It  appears  that  all 
the  first  settlers  had  a  distinctive  mark  to  designate 
their  cattle,  horses  etc.,  and  this  continued  for  many 
years  until  the  lands  were  cleared  up  to  some  extent 
and  fenced  off,  so  the  cattle  were  prevented  from  run- 
ning at  large.  The  settlers  coming  from  the  homes 
they  had  formerly  occupied,  brought  their  cattle, 
horses  etc.  with  them;  they  had  no  fences  and  the  land 
was  to  be  cleared  up,  and  necessarily  they  were  unable 
to  properly  restrain  them;   so  the  live-stock  ran  at 


204  History  of  Marlborough. 

large  over  the  lands  of  the  owner  and  upon  the  com- 
mons often  upon  the  lands  of  the  neighbors.  In  which 
latter  case  they  were  taken  up,  held,  and  the  descrip- 
tion and  marks  were  tiled  in  the  town  clerk's  office, 
so  when  the  owner  missed  his  cattle,  he  could  ascer- 
tain if  they  had  l>een  taken  up,  and  by  whom,  and  by 
the  payment  of  certain  fees  for  damages,  he  could 
obtain  his  cattle. 

There  were  many  cattle  here  in  those  times  and  lots 
of  rich  lands  lying  open  to  the  common,  therefore  the 
raising  of  cattle  was  a  great  industry.  The  following 
is  a  sample  of  how  strayed  stock  was  officially 
described : 

February  ye  25,  1TT3  then  entered  on  Eecorfl  a  Stray  Stone- 
Horse  three  years  of  Age  having  no  Artificial  Marks  or  Brand; 
of  Xatural  marks,  one  small  white  spot  lietween  his  Nostrils 
and  some  wliite  in  his  Eight  foot  l)ehind  just  above  his  Huff 

Nov.  8,  177-1:  -Entered  A  two  years  advantage  Heifer  Eed 
Brindle  with  a  wliite  Streak  on  her  Back  &  belly  —  a  Cross  off 
the  right  Ear  &'  a  half  Cross  off  the  Left. 

November  22,  1775  then  Entered  A  stray  stear  two  years 
old  will  be  three  next  Spring  with  a  white  spot  on  his  fored  and 
a  Crop  of  his  Eight  Ear  with  a  swallow  folk  in  it  with  lialpaney 
the   nnder   side    of   the   Left. 

in  possession  of  Henry  Loekwood 

1785  Nov.  26  Job  St.  John  Entered  A  Stray  read  Heipher  of 
two  Years  old  and  Uppwards  with  a  Bell  on  her  neck  and  a  Slit 
in  the  End  of  her  Ear      No  Natural  marks  Distinguishable 

A  Stray  Bull  in  Care  of  John  Freer  about  Two  Years  old 
Crop  off  the  Eight  Ear,  tbe  ends  of  his  Horns  Sawed  oif  a 
wdiite   Face   Natutnral    Colour   Brown         Dec'r   1st.    17.S5 

A  Stray  Brindle  heipher  in  Care  of  Stephen  Case  about  3 
Years  old  with  Cro]>  oft'  the  Left  Ear  and  hole  &  Slit  in  the 
Same  of  a  Brindle  Coulour 

36  Nov'r  — 1790  S.  C. 

November  25th  1791  Stray  Eed  Stear  Two  year  old  Past 
Marked  with  three  half  pennys  under  side  of  tlie  right  Ear 
with  one  horn  Broke  of  the  End  in  Possession  of  John  Latting 
Marll)orou»-h  Mountains. 


Caee  of  the  Poor.  205 

December  loth  1791  Entered  a  Stray  Sheep  white  Marked 
with  a  Swallow  fork  in  the  near  Ear  and  a  Slit  in  the  off  or 
Right  Ear  in  Possession  of  John  Young  in  Marlborough  Town 

December  16th  —  1T91.  Two  Stray  Eed  Heifers  with  some 
white  on  the  Back  ]\Iarked  with  a  Swallows  fork  in  the  Eiglit 
Ear  and  a  half  penney  the  under  Side  of  the  Same  in  Posses- 
sion of  Edward  Hallock  In  ^farlborough 

January  2th  1792  One  white  Stray  Sheep  Marked  with  a 
Crop  of  the  Left  Ear  and  a  Slit  in  the  same  and  a  halfpenny 
the  under  Side  of  the  right  Ear.  BenJ'n  Woolsey 

January  2th  1T92  Two  Stray  white  Sheep  Marked  with  a 
Crop  of  the  Left  Ear  and  a  hole  in  the  Iiight  Ear  In  Possession 
of  Benjamin  Woolsey  Xew  ]\Iarll)rough 

January  7th  1792.  Stray  white  Sheep  Marked  with  a  Swal- 
lows fork  in  Each  Ear  and  a  Xick  the  under  Side  of  the  Right 
Ear  Also  another  white  Sheep  Marked  with  a  halfpenny  the 
under  Side  of  the  Right  Ear  in  Possession  of  Xathanil  Kilsey 
Marlborough 

December  22th  1792  A  Stray  Stear  year  old  Past,  Red  with 
a  white  face  Marked  with  a  Crop  of  the  Left  Ear  in  the  Care 
of  Richard  Carpenter  Latting  Town 


Care  of  the  Poor. 

Mon-eys  raised  for  and  proceedings  had  for  tlie  snp- 
port  and  maintenance  of  the  poor  commencing  in 
1773 : 

A'oted  that  twenty  five  pounds  be  raised  for  the  use  of  tlie 
poor. 

In  the  year  1777: 

Forty  Pounds  to  be  Raised     to  seport  ye  poor. 

Voted  to  be  Raised  for  the  Support  of  the  Poor  for  the  vear 
1778  the  Sum  of  Ll 2 5=6=0 

and  also  to  Collect  this  year  the  two  Last  Years 
Rearages  which  has  not  been  Collected  which 
amounts  to  the  Sum  of  L70— 0 — 0 


total  L195     0=0 

Joseph  Welib  the  only  Person  at  present  that  is  Chargeable 
to  the  Precinct  of  Xew  Marlboroua'h  who  is  also  Chargeable  to 


206  History  of  Marlborough. 

the  Precinct  of  Xewl)urg]i  was  Sold  to  the  Lowest  Bider  for 
L87^0 — 0  for  one  Years  Boarding  Exchisive  of  Clothing  on 
this  Condition  if  any  person  in  the  Precinct  of  Newburgh  will 
Keep  him  for  a  Smaller  Sum  they  are  to  have  him  Sold  to 
John  Scott 

In  the  5'ear  1779 : 

Voted  that  the  Sum  of  fifty  Pounds  l)e  Raised  for  the  use  of 
the  Poor  this  Present  Year. 

Voted  that  John  Davis  Last  years  Collector  be  paid  Sixteen 
poiinds  for  bad  money  he  Lost  in  the  County  treasury  out  of 
the  poors  money 

In  1780 : 

ISTo  money  voted  this  year  for  the  Poor 

A  thirty  Doller  Bill  that  Proves  bad  that  the  Collector  had 
received  for  taxes  and  not  Ijeing  able  to  Swear  from  whom  he 
had  Received  it  was  voted  to  be  Paid  him  out  of  the  first  Spare 
poor  money  Raised  in  the  Precinct  if  not  allowed  l)y  the  County 

In  1781 : 

Voted  that  Forty  Pounds  New  Emision  Bo  Raised  For  a 
poor  Fund 

In  1782: 

The  Sum  of  Eight  pounds  voted  to  be  Raised  for  the  Benefit 
of  the  poor     The  fines  (for  stray)  to  go  to  the  use  of  the  poor 

In  1782 : 

Was  Sold  at  Vendue  a  poor  boy  Named  Liba  Herrington  to 
Urian  Mckey  for  Seven  pounds  Eight  Shillings  and  he  to  have 
him  bound  by  the  Poor  Masters  untill  he  is  twenty  one  years 
old  to  have  Meat  Drink  Washing  and  Lodging  and  Reading 
Writeing  and  Cyphering  and  two  Suits  of  Cloths  when  of  age 
one  for  Holidays  and  one  for  Common  Days 

In  1783: 

The  Sum  of  twelve  pounds  ten  Shillings  voted  to  be  Raised 
for  the  Poor  Provideing  the  Commisoners  that  is  appointed  to 
Settle  with  the  poor  masters  finds  it  is  Due  at  this  Day  The 
Same  Rules  as  to  Rams  this  Year  was  voted  to  be  ol)served  as 
was  Voted  Last  Year  the  fines  to  go  to  the  poor  of  the  town 


Care  of  the  Poor.  207 

In  1784: 

Voted  also  that  the  Sum  of  Twenty  Pounds  Poor  Eate  be 
Eaised  this  Year  for  Defraying  the  Precinct  Debt  to  Poor 
Masters  and  for  the  further  Use  of  the  Poor  of  the  Precinct 

In  1785 : 

Voted  that  Fifty  Pounds  l^e  Eaised  out  of  the  Precinct  this 
Year  for  the  Use  of  the  Poor 

In  1787 : 

Voted  that  the  Supervisor  Audit  the  Poor  Accounts  and  Levy 
Money  by  Tax  on  the  Precinct  for  that  Purpose  if  Necessary 

In  1788: 

Voted  that  Anning  Smith  Eeuten  Drake  and  Benjamin  Ely 
to  Audit  the  Poor  Accounts  and  Levy  Money  by  Tax  on  the 
Town  for  that  Purpose 

In  1790 : 

Voted  that  the  Overseers  of  the  Poor  Shall  without  Delay 
Prosecute  the  Children  of  old  Simon  Eelya  for  his  Maintain- 
ance,  or  otherwise 

May  11th,  1791 : 

We  the  Committee  appointed  l)y  the  Town  of  ]\Iarll)orough 
to  Examine  and  Audit  the  unsetled  Accounts  of  the  Town 
Namely  Capt.  Anning  Smith  David  Ostrander  Esqr.  and  Ben- 
jamin Townsend.  Do  hereby  Certify  that  the  Sum  of  Ninety 
Eight  Pounds  twelve  Shillings  and  and  One  penny  is  Necessary 
to  be  Eaised  for  the  Maintenance  and  Support  of  the  Poor  the 
Ensuing  year 

By  Order  of  the  Committee, 

In  1792 : 

Voted  Unanimously,  that  tlie  Sum  of  Sixty  Pounds  be  Eaised 
in  the  Town  of  ^NFarlborough  for  the  Support  and  ^laintenance 
of  the  Poor  the  Ensuing  year  1792 

In  1793 : 

Voated,  that  fifty  pounds  be  Eaised  this  year  in  this  Town 
for  the  Support  and  Mf^intenance  of  the  Poor. 


208  History  of  Marlborough. 

In  1794: 

Yoated  that  their  be  Fifty  Pounds  Raised  this  year  in  this 
Town  for  the  Support  and  Maintainance  of  the  Poor 

1794,  April  10th: 

At  a  Special  Town  Meeting  Convened  by  Publiek  Advertize- 
ment  Agreeable  to  Law  at  the  house  of  David  ]\Ierrit  for  the 
Express  Purpose  of  takeing  into  Consideration  the  propriety  of 
Raising  a  greater  Sum  of  money  for  the  Support  of  the  poor  for 
the  Ensuing  year  than  was  agreed  upon  at  the  Annual  Town 
meeting  in  April  last. —  The  meeting  was  opened  by  David 
ostrander  Esqr.  when  upon  due  Consuderation  it  was  Unani- 
mously Voted  that  And  x\dditional  Sum  of  Sixty  five  pounds 
should  be  Levied  on  the  Town  in  Addition  to  the  sum  voted 
at  the  Last  Annual  meeting  Amounting  in  the  whole  to  one 
hundred  and  fifteen  pounds  for  the  purposes  aforesaid 

In  1795,  April  7th: 

Voated  that  their  be  Raised  the  Sum  of  one  Hundred  Pounds 
this  year  In  this  town  for  the  Support  and  Maintainence  of 
the  Poor 

Vouted  that  the  Suposed  wife  and  Is  Xot  the  wife-  of  Robert 
Gilmore  to  be  transported  and  Not  to  be  Chargeal)el  any  more 
to  the  Tow^n  of  Marlborough 

In  1796 : 

Voted  that  Poor  Masters  of  the  Town  Shall  Hire  a  House 
for  the  Poor  to  be  Keep  in. 

It  is  Voted  N'o  loquor  Shal"  Be  Sold  at  the  Next  Town  Meet- 
ing and  No  Hors  racing  Shal  Be  don  and  the  Pennalty  of  five 
Pounds  fine  to  be  Receive  as  other  Debts  and  Shall  Be  for  the 
use  of  the  Poor. 

It  is  Voted  that  their  Shall'  Be  Raised  for  the  suport  of  the 
Poor  the  sum  of  L  200  Pounds  this  year  1797. 

In  1798 : 

Voted  that  thare  Shall  Be  one  Hundred  pounds  Raised  for 
the  Insuing  year  for  the  Use  of  the  Poor. 

In  1799 : 

Voted.  That  the  Sum  of  One  Hundred  &  Seventy  pounds  be 
Raised  for  tlie  Support  and  Maintenance  of  the  Poor  for  the 
Ensuing  year. 


Caee  of  the  Pooe.  209 

In  1800 : 

Voted,  That  the  Sum  of  Fifty  five  pounds  be  Raised  in  tlie 
Town  the  Ensuing  year  for  the  Support  and  Maintenance  of 
the  Poor. 

Voted,  That  the  Poor  Maintained  by  the  Town  Shall  be 
Sold  at  Publick  Vendue. 

Voted,  That  the  Poor  Maintained  by  the  Town  be  Sold  at 
Publick  Vendue  to  the  Lowest  Bidder. 

In  1802 : 

Voted;  —  that  the  Overseers  of  the  Poor  Shall  pay  to  Samuel 
Huson  the  Sum  of  thirty  dollars  as  a  present  from  the  To^^^^ 
for  his  taking  Care  &  Maintaining  his  Mother  Frelove  Huson 
for  the  Last  year  Past. 

Voted;  That  the  Poor  belonging  to  the  Town  be  Sold  at  Pub- 
lick Vendue  to  the  Lowest  Bidder. 

In  1805 : 

Voted ;  That  the  Sum  of  Two  Hundred  Dollars  be  Eaised 
in  the  Town  of  Marlborough  for  the  Support  and  Maintenance 
of  the  Poor  the  Ensuing  year  1805. 

In  1806 : 

Voted  the  Sum  of  Two  Hundred  and  fifty  dollars  be  Raised 
in  the  Town  of  Marlborough  the  Ensuing  Year;  for  the  Sup- 
port and  Maintenance  of  the  Poor. 

In  1807 : 

Voted,  That  the  Sum  of  Five  Hundred  Dollars  be  Raised  in 
the  Town  of  Marlborough  for  the  Support  and  j\Iaintenance  of 
the  Poor  the  Ensuing  Year. 

Voted,  That  the  Overseers  of  the  Poor;  may  (if  they  Suppose 
it  will  be  for  the  Interest  of  the  Town)  Send  otf  William 
McCarty  to  Ireland;  ]^ow  One  of  the  Poor  of  this  Town. 

After  the  declaration  of  war  in  the  Kevolution  all 
the  officers  had  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the 
State  of  New  York.  This  continued  up  to  the  time 
the  States  became  independent  of  the  mother  country. 
This  oath  they  took  in  addition  to  their  oath  of  office, 
viz. : 


210  History  of  Marlborough. 


Oaths  of  Allegiance. 

We  Stephen  Case  John  Duffiehl  Uriah  Drake  Urian  Mckey 
Absalom  CUise  assessors  for  the  Precinct  of  Xew  Marlhorongh 
Do  Sollemly  Swear  and  Dechire  in  the  Presence  of  ahnighty 
God  that  we  will  Bear  true  faith  and  Allegiance  to  the  State 
of  New  York  as  a  free  and  Independant  State  and  that  we  will 
in  all  things  to  the  Best  of  our  Knowledge  and  Abillity  Do  our 
Duty  as  good  Subjects  of  the  Said  State  ought  to  Do  (So  help 
us  God)  STEPHEN  CASE 

Sworn  Before  me  this  JOHN  DUFFIELD 

25  Day  of  april  ITSO  UEIAN  DRAK 

WoLVEET  EcKER  Justice  of  the        JUEIAN  MACKEY 
peace  ABSALOM  CASE 


Assessors  Oath. 

We  Stephen  Case  John  Duffield  Uriah  Drake  Urian  Mckey 
Absalom  Case  assessors  Elected  for  the  Precinct  of  New  Marl- 
borough Do  Sollemly  and  Sincerely  Swear  and  Declare  in  the 
Presence  of  almighty  God  that  we  will  honestly  and  Impartially 
asses  the  Several  Persons  and  Estates  within  the  Precinct  of 
New  Marlborough  and  that  in  makeing  Such  assesments  we 
Avill  to  the  best  of  our  Knowledge  and  Judgements  observe  the 
Directions  of  the  Several  Laws  of  this  State  Requiring  and 
Directing  Each  Respective  assesment  to  Ije  made  (So  Help 
us    God ) 

Sworn  before  me  this  25th  Dav  STEPHEN  CASE      - 

of  April  1780  ^  JOHN  DUFFIELD 

AYolvert  Ecker  Justics  of  the  URIAN  DRAKE 

peace  JURIAN    MACKEY 

ABSALOM  CASE 

Sometimes  one  person  would  hold  several  offices  at 
the  same  time;  this  year  (1780)  Stephen  Case  was 
Clerk  for  the  town  and  poor;  he  was  assessor  and 
also  a  Poormaster.  He  also  served  several  years  as 
Clerk  and  Assessor  at  the  same  time,  and  in  1782  he 
was  Town  Clerk  and  Clerk  of  the  Poor  Books,  Super- 
visor and  Poor  Master. 


Ancient  Town  Matteks.  211 


Ancient  Town  Matters. 

March  10,  1795.  — The  following  persons  were 
licensed  to  keep  tavern  the  ensuing  year.  To  wit: 
David  Merritt,  Wheeler  Case,  Samuel  Drake,  Benja- 
min Carpenter,  Thomas  Mott,  Christopher  Ostrauder, 
Jacob  Powell,  Gatian  Liger,  Henry  Bush,  Jr.,  Daniel 
Everitt,  James  Lockwood,  and  Isaac  Bloomer.  Each 
of  the  above  persons  gave  the  sum  of  two  pounds  for 
their  license. 

March  1, 1796. —  The  following  persons  were  licensed 
to  retail  spirituous  liquors  in  the  Town  of  New  Marl- 
borough, namely:  Peter  Mackoon,  Thomas  Mott, 
Eobert  Gilmore,  Edmond  Turner,  Jr.,  Christopher 
Deyo,  Cartrien  Lieger,  Samuel  Drake,  Henry  T.  Bush, 
Jr.,  Right  Carpenter,  Wheeler  Case,  Isaac  Bloomer, 
Jacob  Powell,  David  Merritt,  Isaac  Hill,  Benjamin 
Carpenter. 

In  1796  Wilhelmus  Ostrander,  Thedius  Haiglit, 
Nathaniel  Kelsey,  Joseph  Mory  and  David  Staples 
were  the  School  Commissioners  of  the  town. 

In  those  times  the  school  commissioners  passed  up- 
on the  qualifications  of  the  teachers  and  also  visited 
the  schools  from  time  to  time.  They  appeared  to  have 
had  full  charge  and  control  over  the  schools  of  the 
town. 

Tliis  year  it  was  voted  that  no  liquor  should  be  sold 
at  the  next  town  meeting,  neither  would  horse  racing 
be  allowed,  and  in  the  event  of  a  violation  of  this 
edict,  a  penalty  of  five  pounds  was  to  be  levied  and 
collected  as  other  debts  and  held  for  the  use  of  the 
poor. 

I,  Stephen  ISTottinoham.  do  solemnly  and  sincerely  promise 
and  swear  that  I  will  in  all  things  to  the  hest  of  my  knowledge 
and  al)ility  faithfully  and  impartially  execute  and  perform  the 
trust  reposed  in  me  as  Supervisor  of  the  Town  of  Marlborough 
in  the  County  of  Ulster,  and  that  I  will  not  pass  any  account  or 


212  History  of  Marlborough. 

any  article  thereof  wherewith  I  shall  think  the  said  CVjunty  is 
not  justly  chargeahle,  nor  will  I  disallow  any  account  or  any 
article  thereof  wherewith  I  shall  think  the  said  County  is  justly 
chargeahle. 

Sworn  before  nie  this  21st  day  of  April,  1796. 

John  Dubois,  Esq.,  J.  P. 

Under  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  entitled  ''An  act 
for  the  encouragement  of  schools  "  passed  the  9th  of 
April,  1795,  in  June,  1795,  £155  5s.,  and  in  1796  £132 
12s.  was  alloted  to  the  Town  of  Marlborough;  in  the 
next  year  £154  16s.,  9d.;  in  1798,  $119.21,  for  school 
purposes. 

In  1807,  it  was  voted  that  geese  should  not  run  in 
the  highways  or  commons  "unless  they  are  yoked." 

In  1809,  it  was  voted  that  neither  cattle  or  horses, 
should  be  allowed  to  run  in  the  highways  from  the 
first  day  of  December  to  the  first  day  of  April. 

In  1812,  it  was  voted  that  no  kind  of  cattle  or  horses, 
should  be  allowed  to  run  in  the  public  highways  in 
any  of  the  villages  near  a  meeting-house  or  mill  from 
the  15th  of  December  to  the  first  day  of  April,  and  if 
found  in  the  streets  "  may  be  drove  to  the  pound." 

Voted  in  1813,  that  the  sum  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  be  raised  in  the  Town  of  Marlborough 
for  the  support  of  common  schools  the  coming  year. 

In  1814,  Eichard  Smith,  John  Duffield  and  Isaac 
Bloomer  were  elected  commissioners  of  schools,  and 
James  I.  Ostram,  Joseph  Lockwood,  Richard  Smith, 
William  Soper,  Natli'l  Chittenden  and  David  Staples, 
Jr.,  were  inspectors  of  schools.  The  schools  must 
have  been  well  looked  after  that  year  with  nine  men 
to  look  after  the  teachers  and  children. 


In  1821,  voted  "  hogs  shall  not  run  in  the  highways 
or  commons  unless  they  are  well  ringed  and  yoked, 
with  a  sufficient  crotch  and  cross  piece.     Voted  that 


Ancient  Town  Matters.  213 

the  collector  of  the  town  shall  not  receive  more  than 
three  cents  on  the  dollar  for  his  fees  for  collecting 
the  taxes  the  ensuing  year.  Voted  that  the  town  of 
Marlborough  do  not  agree  to  build  a  county  poor 
house." 

In  1823  and  for  several  years  thereafter,  $500  was 
raised  each  year  for  the  support  of  the  poor. 

In  1825  the  account  of  public  mone}^  for  each  school 
district  was  as  follows:  District  No.  1,  $39.68;  District 
No.  2,  $39.29;  District  No.  3,  $33.06;  District  No.  4, 
$8.55;  District  No.  5,  $19.84;  District  No.  7,  33.06; 
District  No.  8,  $31.50;  District  No.  10,  $19.84;  District 
No.  11,  $22.50;  District  No.  12,  $14.78.  The  following 
year,  1826,  the  amount  distributed  was  considerable 
less.  This  list  is  given  to  show  how  little  state  sup- 
port was  given  to  the  schools.  In  fact  all  that  was 
raised  by  the  state  and  town  and  district  at  that  time 
would  not  now  provide  for  one  of  the  larger  .-ohools 
in  the  town.  The  pay  that  the  school  teachers  rocoived 
would  now  hardly  pay  their  board,  l)ut  money  was 
scarce  then,  much  more  difficult  to  get,  and  went  fur- 
ther, and  it  was  the  custom  for  the  teachers  to  board 
around. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Commissioners  of  Highways  of  tiie 
town  of  Marll)orougli,  in  the  County  of  Ulster,  on  the  4th  day 
of  January,  1836,  it  is  ordered  and  determined  by  the  said 
commissioners  upon  the  application  of  the  inhahitants  of  the 
village  of  Marlborough  that  the  highway  leading  from  I\Iilton 
to  Newhurgh  and  opposite  the  store  and  premises  of  Miles  J. 
Fletcher  be  so  laid  out  or  altered  as  to  be  of  the  width  of  four 
rods  opposite  the  tavern  of  Eobert  B.  Mapes  as  will  appear  by 
a  stone  placed  in  the  ground  l)y  said  commissioners,  running 
thence  in  a  southerly  direction  so  as  to  be  of  the  width  of  three 
rods  and  a  half  opposite  the  southwest  corner  of  the  school- 
house.  Also  that  part  of  the  highway  leading  from  the  store 
of  Spence  &  Mcllrath  to  Latting  Town  and  opposite  said  store 
so  as  to  be  of  the  width  of  three  and  a  half  rods  opposite  said 
store  and  to  continue  said  width  westwardly  until  it  intersects 
the  highway  running  southerly  by  the  house  of  Peter  M.  Car- 


214  History  of  Marlborough. 

penter.     In  witness  whereof  the  said  commissioners  liave  here- 
unto subscribed  their  names,  this  4th  day  of  January,  1836. 
Eecordod  Jan.  11th,  1836. 

EICHAED  B.   FOWLER  Commissioners. 

ZADOCK  EHOADS  of  Highways 

I).  W.  WooLSEY,  Town  Clerk. 


In  1847  Geo.  G.  Reynolds,  formerly  a  judge  and  now 
a  practicing  attorney  in  Brooklyn,  was  Town  Commis- 
sioner of  Schools. 

Eegister  of  Negro  Children. 
After  July  4,  1T99. 

This  to  certify  that  Charles  Brown  of  the  Town  of  ]\farl- 
borough  and  County  of  Ulster  has  had  a  male  child  born  of 
his  black  woman,  a  slave  named  Harry.  Born  14th  July,  1791> 
Six  months  old  this  day.     Marlborough  14th  Jan.  1800. 

(Signed)     CHARLES   BROWN. 

This  is  to  certify  that  the  subscriber  Wilhelmus  DuBois  of 
the  Town  of  Marlborough,  County  of  Ulster,  has  had  a  male 
child  born  of  his  black  woman,  a  slave,  the  fifth  day  of  April, 
1801,  named  Titus.         (Signed)     WILHELMUS  DUBOIS. 


Map  of  Village  of  ^Marlborough,  1704. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Village  of  Marlborough  as  Laid  Out  in  1764. 

In  17()4,  wlieii  the  clmrcli  lot  was  conveyed  to  tlie 
Marlboi-oui>li  Society,  Lewis  DuBois  surveyed  and 
laid  out  certain  other  lots  in  what  is  now  Marlliorongh 
village;  bnt  after  great  research  I  am  nnal)le  to  lind 
the  map,  yet  the  map  was  reproduced  in  1810,  upon 
the  division  of  the  lands  of  Wilhelmus  DuBois.  The 
divisions  and  distributions  there  made  are  the  same, 
and  are  made  in  pursuance  of  and  reference  to  the 
ancient  map  as  will  be  seen  by  referring  to  the  chap- 
ter on  Land  Titles. 

It  refers  to  and  speaks  of  the  lots  as  laid  out  along- 
Main  street,  and  as  the  "Water  lots,  etc.,  in  1764,  show- 
ing that  the  lots  in  this  map  are  the  same  as  then 
laid  out,  and  the  only  difference  is  that  it  gives  the 
names  of  those  who  were  to  receive  the  lots  in  the 
division  of  1810  as  made  by  the  commissioners.  Main 
street  as  then  laid  out  is  substantially  as  it  now  is. 
The  Lewis  DuBois  estate  owned  the  land  adjoining 
the  Kill,  so  no  Inidge  is  given.  The  street  west  from 
Main  street  is  given  as  DuBois  street;  this  is  now  the 
Lattintown  road. 

At  the  southwest  corner  of  the  church  lot  on  Main 
street,  a  stone  marked  "  M.B.Y.  1764"  is  given. 
Between  Jew's  creek  and  the  river  "  Bush's  i)oint  "  is 
given,  and  opposite  is  "  DuBois 's  point."  A  stone  is 
marked  as  the  northwest  corner  of  the  uppermost 
lot,  and  further  upon  the  same  line  another  stone  is 
given.  It  is  understood  that  these  points  and  the 
stone  at  the  churchyard  can  still  be  designated. 

For  some  reason  DuBois  had  this  survey  and  a 
map  of  the  same  made  at  the  early  time  of  1764,  and 
it    answered    the    purpose    of   dividing   the    lands   in 


216  History  of  Marlborough. 


1810.  Tire  lots  were  afterward  subdivided,  but  the 
present  owners  of  the  land  can  easily  trace  their 
titles  back  to  this  ancient  survey  and  locate  in  what 
particular  one  of  these  lots  their  lands  are  situated. 
At  this  time  there  were  very  few  houses  upon  this 
tract;  the  people  were  settled  al)out  on  farms,  as  they 
liad  to  depend  on  their  crops  for  a  living.  There 
were  very  few  if  any  industries,  except  farming,  at 
that  time  in  this  section. 


Colden's  Ridge. 

Cadwallader  Colden  was  the  last  Lieutenant-Gov- 
ernor appointed  ])y  the  King,  and  he  was  and  had  been 
the  Acting  Governor  for  several  years  of  the  Province 
of  New  York  at  the  time  of  and  prior  to  the  Revolu- 
tion. A  long  time  previous  he  had  l)eeii  granted  a 
patent  of  land  of  2,000  acres  in  what  is  now  Orange 
county;  this  tract  he  called  Coldenham,  w^hich  name 
it  has  ever  since  retained.  He  had  several  sons,  one 
Alexander;  he  with  his  father  resided  many  years  at 
Coldenham.  Afterward  he  (Alexander  the  son)  be- 
came the  owner  of  a  tract  of  land  at  Newburgh  and 
built  what  was  called  the  Newburgh  House  at  the  Gore, 
Colden  and  Water  streets.  He  gave  land  to  the  vill- 
ag^e  for  the  street  and  it  was  named  after  him,  "Col- 
den street."  He  built  vrhat  is  now  the  Powell  dock 
and  had  a  cliarter  for  a  ferry  in  1743  at  Newburgh. 

Cadwallader  (k)lden  also  had  a  son,  Cadwallader, 
and  he  or  a  near  relative  purchased  of  George  flarri- 
son  a  patent  of  several  hundred  acres  in  what  is  now 
the  town  of  Marlborough,  and  lying  on  l>oth  sides  of 
the  Lattintown  road,  where  Fred.  W.  Vail  now  re- 
sides. Plis  Caverly  farm  is  located,  and  other  lauds 
and  farms,  to  the  south.  These  lands  were  called 
Colden 's  Ridge  in  the  early  deeds  and  grants,  and 


Golden 's  Ridge.  217 


reference  to  some  of  them  is  hereafter  given.  Many 
deeds  by  which  this  Harrison  patent  was  finally 
divided  refer  to  the  tract  as  Cold-en's  Ridge,  and 
though  tlie  ridge  has  been  called  by  different  names 
at  different  times,  yet  the  only  correct  name  is 
Colden's  Ridge.  The  Coldens  appear  to  have  trans- 
mitted their  name  to  the  lands  they  once  owned.  I 
suppose  the  reason  was  that  they  were  all  prominent 
men  in  their  day  and  the  lands  were  called  for  them 
as  was  then  the  custom  in  England. 

Cadwallader  R.  Colden  transferred  property  to 
William  B.  Woolsey  and  the  deed  is  dated  April,  1803. 
viz. : 

The  premises  now  being  in  actual  possession  of  the  said 
William  B.  Woolsey,  situated  in  the  Town  of  Marlborough, 
County  of  Clster,  and  being  a  part  of  a  certain  tract  of  land 
which  with  other  lands  was  by  letters  patent  bearing  date  on 
or  about  the  20th  of  July  in  the  year  1750,  granted  to  George 
Harrison  commonly  called  Colden's  Kidge,  wbich  said  lot, 
piece  or  parcel  of  land  is  bounded  as  follows,  to  wit:  Beginning 
at  a  stake  in  the  east  bounds  of  the  said  tract  commonly  called 
Colden's  Eidge  on  the  south  side  of  the  road  leading  through 
the  said  tract  from  Lattin  Town  to  the  ferry,  *  *  *  The 
particular  courses  &c  of  the  several  boundaries  thereof  are 
particularly  hiid  down,  described  and  expressed  in  and  upon 
a  certain  map  or  chart  of  the  said  tract  of  land  granted  to  the 
said  George  Harrison  commonly  called  Golden's  Eidge,  made 
by  Charles  Clinton,  Esquire,  who  surveyed  the  same  for  the 
said  Cadwalledar  Colden     *     *     *. 

William  Wickham  to  William  B.  Woolsey;  deed 
dated  December,  1803: 

All  that  tract  of  land  situate  in  C*olden's  Eidge  in  the  Town 
of  Marlborough,  which  ridge,  together  with  other  lands,  was 
granted  by  letters  patent  to  George  Harrison,  dec'd ;  the  said 
tract  intended  to  be  conveyed  is  part  of  a  lot  of  land  set  apart 
by  Commissioners  to  the  said  William  AVickham  on  a  division 
of  the  said  ridge,  and  is  bounded  as  follows:  Beginning  in  the 
line  of  partition  between  the  said  ridge  and  the  patent  granted 
to  Lewis  Morris  &  Company,  commonly  called  the  seven  pat- 


218  History  of  Marlborough. 

entees,  where  the  road  from  Lattintown  to  Hudson  Eiver 
crosses  the  said  line,  from  thence  easterly  along  the  said 
road  to  the  land  latel}'  conveyed  l)y  said  AMckhani  to  Thomas 
Woolsey  *  *  *.  The  said  patent  line  between  the  ridge 
and  the  seven  patentees,  the  said  Woolsey  and  the  other  per- 
sons owning  the  land  have  established,     *     *     *_ 

It  will  be  seen  that  Colden's  Ridge  extended  north 
and  sontli  of  the  Lattintown  road. 

Woolsey  sold  116  acres  of  the  land  so  purchased  by 
liim  to  Latting  Caverly  in  1808  for  $3,750,  and  lie  sold 
the  remaining  land  to  other  persons  about  that  time. 
All  this  land  is  referred  to  as  l^eing  a  part  of  the 
George  Harrison  Patent  called  Colden's  Ridge.  He 
purchased  it  for  about  $1,500  and  in  less  than  five 
years  had  sold  them  for  over  $5,t)00.  I  mention  this 
to  show  the  great  increase  in  value  of  land  here  about 
that  time.  I  find  that  land  increased  in  value  very 
ra})id]y  and  in  many  instances  doubled  or  more  than 
doul)led  in  value  in  a  few  years. 

I  have  given  quit-e  an  extended  research  in  this  mat- 
ter ))ecause  I  wanted  to  demonstrate  beyond  any  doubt 
or  (juestion  that  the  proper  name  for  the  ridge  was 
''  Colden's  Rids-e." 


The  Map  of  Dr.  Benjamin  Ely. 

Perhaps  one  of  the  most  important  things  that  we 
have  is  the  map  of  1797,  which  has  been  obtained  after 
great  search  and  inquiry;  after  photographing  it  in 
sections,  a  copper  plate  was  made  at  much  expense 
and  care.  It  has  been  necessary  to  reduce  the  size 
of  the  original  ma]),  yet  not  so  much  l)ut  that  all  the 
names  can  be  readily  seen.    The  map  states : 

All  the  outlines  and  ])i-incipal  roads  of  this  town  were  run 
at  the  close  of  the  year  lTi»T.  agreeably  to  the  present  position 
of  the  magnetic  needle.  I)y  Doctor  Benjamin  Ely,  who  was  em- 
ployed  by    Stephen    Xottinghani   Esquire   supervizor   of   Mail- 


Ancient  Map.  219 


borough.     This  map  was  made  from  the  field  book  of  Dr.  l^iy 
by  Henry  Livingston  of  Poughkeepsie. 

STEPHEN  XOTTIXGITAM. 

Scale  40  ch.  to  an  Inch. 

The  map  shows  what  is  now  the  Town  of  Marl- 
borough and  Plattekill.     The  roads  as  shown  are  the 
principal   roads   in   nse   to-day.     Very   few   changes 
have  been  made,  but  some  additional  roads  have  been 
laid  out.     The  first  road  on  the  north  is  the  Smith 
road,  running  from  Smith's  store  for  several  miles 
west;  the  next  is  what  was  afterward  laid  out  as  the 
Farmers'  Turnpike  &  Bridge  Co.,  from  the  river  con- 
necting Sand's  store  and  dock,  and  the  Sutton  dock, 
and  running  westerly  through  what  is  now  Modena 
and  crossing  the  Plattekill.     On  the  map  it  is  called 
the  "  Road  to  Platte  Kill  "  and  is  referred  to  in  the 
laying  out  of  other  roads  as  the  "  Platte  Kill  Road." 
The  next  is  the  road  from  the  willow  tree  and  post 
road    running    west    and    connecting    with    the    last- 
named  road.     Then  comes  the  road  from  the  Powell 
dock   and   ferry   to   Lewis'   farm   and   the   post  road 
and   past    the   Quaker   Meeting-house    to   Lattintown 
and    on    across    the    mountain    to    Pleasant    Valley. 
The  next  is  the  road  from  the  Old  Man's  creek  to 
the  Lattintown  road,  and  thence  north  and  connecting 
with  the  road  over  the  mountain  at  the  Penny  place, 
just  as  it  is  at  present.     The  next,  the  African  Lane 
road,  also  crosses  the  mountains  to  the  valley.     The 
last  is  the  road  at  the  town  line  at  the  Velie  place, 
Avhich  passes  what  was  the  Acker  mill,  and  runs  thence 
west  over  the  mountains.     The  post  road  along  the 
river  from  the  town  of  New  Paltz   (now  Lloyd),  to 
the  town  of  Newburgh  is  crossed  by  the  roads  above 
mentioned.     The  road  from  the  Lattintown  road  to 


220  History  of  Maelborough. 


Purdy's  bridge  is  next.  The  map  marks  the  land 
here  as  a  "  Kidge  of  High,  Good  Land."  This  ap- 
pears to  extend  on  through  to  the  turnpike.  The  next 
is  the  Lattintown  road  from  New  Paltz  town  to  New- 
burgh  town,  called  on  the  map  "  Road  from  New- 
burgh."  After  this  is  the  road  from  the  Plattekill 
road  (Farmers'  Turnpike),  beginning  west  of  Tuck- 
er's- corners  and  running  north  to  Elting  and  Le- 
Fevre's  corner.  The  map  gives  it  as  the  "  Road  to 
Paltz  and  Baker's  store."  Further  west,  we  come 
to  fhe  road  from  tlie  turn})ike  south  to  and  through 
the  valley  to  the  Newburgh  line.  The  next  is  the 
road  from  the  turnpike,  at  what  is  now  Modena,  south 
by  southeasterly  to  the  Valley;  and  then  there  is  a 
road  from  the  last-mentioned  extending  westward  to 
the  New  Hurley  church. 

The  north  line  given  is  "  From  Jeffrow's  Hook  to 
the  high  hill  of  Mogunk."  This  was  a  straight  line 
running  from  Blue  point  to  Paltz  point,  north  59 '^ 
15''.  The  next  line  is  the  north  town  line,  commenc- 
ing at  a  beech  stump  at  the  river.  ''  From  the  beech 
stump  N.  55°  15"  west  to  the  high  hill  of  Mogunk 
and  to  Elting  and  LeFevre  cor's  457  chains."  It 
seems  that  this  line  was  a  straight  course  to  Paltz 
point,  and  it  was  457  chains  to  Elting  and  LeFevre 's 
corners.  The  land  between  these  last  two  mentioned 
lines  was  granted  to  Hugh  Wentworth;  and  there  was 
a  controversy  for  j^erhaps  a  hundred  years  as  to 
which  was  the  actual  line  meant  as  the  south  bounds 
of  the  Paltz  Patent.  There  were  several  lawsuits  and 
I  believe  the  question  was  never  positively  deter- 
mined. This  old  surveyor  appeared  to  think  the  line 
should  start  from  Blue  point  and  I  think  he  was 
right.  He  had  been  a  resident  here  all  his  life,  and 
had  done  most  of  the  surveying  in  this  and  adjoining 
towns  for  a  great  many  years  previous,  and  it  is 
very  probable  he  knew  where  the  line  should  be.    This 


Ancient  Map.  221 


map  would  have  saved  the  people  nmch  trouble  and 
money,  had  they  known  about  it. 

Looking  south  along  the  river  we  have  Smith's 
store  and  mill,  the  Buttermilk  falls,  the  houses  of  T. 
Price,  and  T.  Burgis,  Sands'  store  and  dock,  Sutton's 
dock,  Lewis  and  Powell's  dock  and  ferry,  Jacob 
Wood,  John  Wood,  then  the  high  point  called  Old 
Man's  Hook,  Old  Man's  creek,  Jew's  creek,  the  lime- 
kilns, and  just  over  the  line  the  Dance  Chamber. 

There  was  a  mill  at  Smith's,  one  on  Hallock's  brook, 
a  sawmill  on  the  south  side  of  the  creek  and  a  mill 
on  the  north  side  of  Old  Man's  creek,  a  mill  on  Jew's 
creek  known  as  Charles  Millard's  mill,  the  Acker 
mill  and  the  mill  at  Gaede's  was  called  Drake's  mill 
at  that  time. 

It  gives  the  Presbyterian  church  at  Marlborough, 
the  Quaker  church  that  stood  at  Northrip's  corner, 
and  two  churches  at  Pleasant  Valley,  and  the  New 
Hurley  church;  all  the  churches  that  then  existed. 

Stephen  Nottinghain  lived  on  the  road  south  of 
Modena  and  Dr.  Benjamin  Ely  lived  at  what  was  the 
Charles  Harcourt  place  at  the  corner. 

On  the  roads  the  residences  are  given,  and  it  is 
easy  to  be  seen  where  one's  ancestors  lived.  It  gives 
quite  a  lake  at  Ten  Stone  Meadow.  The  streams  are 
given  with  a  great  deal  of  accuracy.  The  Plattekill 
was  a  large  stream  at  that  time,  since  it  ran  mostly 
through  woods ;  and  there  were  swamps  along  it. 
Since  that  time  the  lands  have  been  drained  out. 
The  road  derived  its  name  from  the  creek,  and  also 
the  town  when  formed  was  called  by  the  same  name. 
It  runs  north  through  Jenkintown  and  empties  into 
the  Wallkill  opposite  and  north  of  the  poor  house. 

It  is  certainly  an  excellent  map  and  was  x^i'^pai'ed 
with  great  labor.  It  is  remarkably  accurate,  and  is 
the  only  correct  map  ever  made  of  the  town.  It  throws 
more  light  on  the  condition  of  the  town  at  that  time, 


222  History  of  Marlborough. 

than  aiiytliing  we  could  have  bad.  I  consider  it  of 
the  most  importance  for  future  reference.  All  the 
surrounding  lands  are  shown  and  marked. 

Looking  along  the  east  side  of  the  river,  we  have  the 
Specker  Kill,  now  the  Gill  creek,  and  next  the  Barne- 
gat  limekilns,  about  twenty  kilns  which  indicate  that 
an  extensive  business  was  carried  on  here  at  that 
time;  next  is  Casper  creek,  and  north  of  tlie  mouth 
of  Wappinger's  creek  there  are  several  limekilns. 

The  names  of  all  the  surrounding  patents  are  given, 
and  the  lines  of  the  town  and  the  courses  of  such 
lines. 

The  old  supervisor,  Stephen  Nottingham,  little 
knew  what  a  relic  he  was  transmitting  to  posterity. 
It  has  been  considered  necessary  to  give  quite  an 
exhaustive  explanation  of  this  map,  as  from  its  size 
it  cannot  properly  be  examined  unless  it  is  spread 
out  and  much  care  taken  to  designate  the  different 
matters.  From-  my  review  the  reader  will  easily 
trace  them. 

I  find  by  careful  examination  that  in  1787  Stephen 
Nottingham  purchased  lands  of  Jacob  DeLamater, 
who  purchased  in  1743,  at  the  Plattekill.  He  had 
owned  lands  there  previously,  as  it  appears  in  1743 
there  had  been  a  division  of  lands  at  this  place  among 
several  parties,  among  others  the  Nottinghams,  one 
of  whom  was  the  father  of  Stephen,  and  others. 
The  stream  was  then  called  the  Platte  Kill  and  is 
often  spoken  of  as  in  the  precinct  of  New  Marl- 
borough. Along  this  stream  must  have  been  some  of 
the  earlier  settlements,  if  not  the  very  earliest,  in 
what  is  now  called  Plattekill;  the  first  settlers  must 
have  given  it  the  name,  and  the  town  was  afterward 
called  from  it.  I  find  by  the  map  that  in  1797,  besides 
Nottingham,  several  families  of  Ostranders,  Baldwin 
and  others  were  living  there.  It  was  called  the  Platte 
Kill  neighborhood. 


Ancient  Map.  223 


It  is  a  fertile  valley  and  has  always  been  a  good 
farming-  district.  I  speak  more  particularly  of  this, 
since  it  is  not  generally  known  that  this  irdvt  of  the 
country  was  settled  so  early.  The  Platte  Kill  rises 
at  a  pond  or  large  swamp,  northwest  of  the  valley^ 
runs  northerly  and  west  of  the  Modena  road,  and  on 
north  through  the  town  of  New  Paltz  and  empties 
into  the  Wallkill.  Pleasant  Valley  is  given  with  two 
churches.  It  appears  to  have  been  an  early  settle- 
ment and  was  a  center  for  the  surrounding  country. 

Near  the  center  of  the  map  ''  Branch  of  the  Ten 
Stone  Meadow  "  is  given.  It  would  indicate  that, 
there  was  then  a  large  lake  or  tract  of  drowned  lands, 
as  it  is  only  intended  to  give  a  branch  of  it.  Tliis  is 
an  ancient  name,  as  I  find  it  as  far  back  as  1749",  in 
an  ancient  deed,  Uri  Wygant  and  Jean  his  wife  to 
Timothy  Treadwell,  of  land  dated  October,  1749.  It 
says:  '^A  tract  of  land  and  meadow  near  the  Blue 
Hills  called  and  none  by  the  name  of  Tenston  medow."^ 
This  was  part  of  the  land  granted  by  letters  patent 
in  1720  to  Wm.  Bond  and  others.  Wygant's  wife 
was  Bond's  daughter.  The  deed  is  quite  quaint  and 
signed 

his 

URE    I    WHEYGANT 

mark 

JUNE  YGANT. 

The  map  designates  the  Marlborough  and  Plattekill 
mountains  by  the  waving  line  through  its  center. 
They  are  very  distinct  and  unique  in  the  original 
map.  I  find  these  were  called  in  very  ancient  papers 
the  "Blue  Mountains"  and  sometimes  the  "Blue 
Hills."  It  will  be  seen  that  along  the  southern  part 
of  the  road  from  Newburgh  there  are  a  number  of 
Wygant  families  more  than  there  are  now  and  it  has 
alwavs   been   known    as    the    Wygant    neighl)orhood. 


224  History  of  Marlborough. 

The  Woolsey  families  are  on  the  Lattintown  road 
and  about  there.  The  Smiths',  Hallocks'  and  other 
houses  are  located  similar  to  where  such  families  live 
now.  The  Mackey  and  Connor  ponds  are  given,  and 
there  appears  to  be  quite  a  small  lake  in  the  High 
Hollow,  but  this  was  afterward  drained  out.  The 
Elting  and  LeFevre's  Corner  is  where  Clintondale 
now  is.  There  was  no  village  there  or 'at  Modena 
then,  but  at  that  time  the  people  about  there  came  to 
Lattintown  to  vote.  Pleasant  Valley  is  given,  and  it 
seems  a  Dr.  Baily  lived  there  then,  and  there  were  two 
churches. 

It  will  be  observed  that  all  the  courses  and  distances 
of  each  line  are  given,  and  it  must  have  been  a  source 
of  much  work  and  study.  No  better  surveyor  ever 
lived  in  the  town  than  Dr.  Benjamin  Ely.  The  names 
of  all  the  surrounding  tracts  and  patents  of  land  are 
given;  taken  all  in  all  it  is  a  great  map. 


Slavery. 

Slavery  existed  in  the  state  of  New  York  from  the 
earliest  times,  or  from  the  time  that  the  English  came 
in  possession  of  the  country;  and  an  early  act,  passed 
October  24,  1706,  provided  as  follows : 

Wpiereas  divers  of  her  Majesty's  good  Subjects,  Inhabitants 
of  this  Colony,  now  are,  and  have  been  willing,  that  such 
Negro,  Indian,  and  Mulatto  Slaves,  who  belong  to  them,  and 
desire  the  same,  should  l)e  baptized ;  but  are  deterred  and 
hindered  therefrom,  by  Eeason  of  a  groundless  Opinion  that 
hath  spread  itself  in  this  Colony,  that,  by  the  baptizing  of  such 
Negro,  Indian,  or  Mullatto  Slave,  they  would  become  free, 
and  ought  to  be  set  at  Liberty.  In  order,  therefore,,  to  put 
an  End  to  all  such  Doubts  and  Scruples  as  have,  or  hereafter, 
ar  any  Time,  may  arise  about  the  same, 

I,  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Governor,  Council,  and  Assembly, 
and  it  is  hereby  enacted  by  the  Authority  of  the  same,  That 
the  Baptizing  of  any  Negro,   Indian,  or  Mulatto  Slave,  shall 


Slavery. 


225 


not  be  any  Cause  or  Reason  for  the  setting  them,  or  any  of 

them,  at  Liberty.  •  i      .1      n       ^^^^ 

II  \ND  BE  IT  Declared  and  Enacted  by  the  Governor, 

Council,    and   Assembly,   and  by   the   Authority   of   the   same. 

That  all  and  every  Negro,  Indian,  Mulatto,  and  Mestee  Bastard- 

.  Child,   and   Children,   who   is,   are,   and  shall  he  born  of  any 

Negro,  Indian,  Mulatto,  or  Mestee,  shall  follow  the  State 
and  Condition  of  the  Mother,  and  be  esteemed,  reputed,  taken, 
and  adjudged  a  Slave  and  Slaves,  to  all  Intents  and  Pur- 
poses whatsoever. 

III  Provided  Always,  and  be  it  Declared  and  Enacted, 
by  the  said  Authority,  That  no  Slave,  whatsoever,  m  this 
Colonv  shall,  at  anv  Time,  be  admitted  as  a  Witness  for  or 
against,  any  Freeman,  in  any  Case,  Matter,  or  Cause,  civil  or 
criminal,  whatsoever. 

At  this  present  day  liow  strange  this  all  doth  seem. 
They  were  perfectly  willing  that  the  slaves  should  be 
baptized,  and  recognized  that  they  had  a  sonl  to  save, 
yet  they  held  their  bodies  in  bondage  with  the  same 
right  to  their  labor  and  with  as  absolute  control  over 
them  as  they  had  over  their  horses  and  cattle,  and 
bought  and  sold  them  as  such,  and  yet  they  recognized 
that  they  had  a  spirit  the  same  as  their  masters  had. 
It  appears  that  the  child  followed  the  condition  of  its 
mother;  if  the  mother  was  a  slave  the  child  was  a 
slave,  and  could  be  sold  the  same  as  the  mother,  even 
if  the  father  of  the  cliild  was  a  freeman,  whether 
white  or  black;  and  it  further  app-ears  that  no  matter 
what  cruelties  or  inhmnan  treatment  they  might  re- 
ceive from  any  white  or  black  man,  provided  the  black 
man  was  a  freeman,  he  could  not  be  a  witness,  to  tell 
what  they  had  sutfered  at  their  hands,  or  to  tell  what 
property  had  been  taken  from  them.    It  is  hard  to  tell 
of  a  more  helpless  condition  than  a  slave  was  placed 
in  under  this  act.    He  had  no  control  over  life  or  limb, 
and  if  a  freeman  murdered  him,  no  slave  could  testify 
to  the  fact.     From  all  that  can  be  found  or  learned, 
it  is  quite  evident  that  there  was  a  strong  public  opin- 
ion which  was  of  much  protection  to  the  slave.     In 


226  History  or  Marlborough. 

1708  it  was  provided  that  any  Indian,  negro  or  other 
slave  that  should  be  found  guilty  of  drunkenness, 
cursing  or  swearing,  and  of  talking  impudently  to  any 
Christian  should  suffer  so  many  stripes  at  some  pub- 
lic place  as  the  Justice  of  the  Peace  where  such 
offense  was  committed  should  think  fit,  not  exceeding 
forty.  It  will  be  seen  by  this  that  not  only  negroes 
were  slaves  but  Indians  were  also.  It  sj^eaks  of  other 
slaves,  yet  it  is  hard  to  tell  whom  these  were. 

In  an  act  passed  in  November,  1740,  providing 
duties  toward  supporting  the  government  of  the 
Colony,  among  other  things  is  the  following : 

For  every  Negro,  Mitlatto,  or  other  Slave,  of  four  Years  old 
and  upwards,  imported  directly  from  Africa,  five  Ounces  of 
Sevil,  Pillar  or  Mexico  Plate,  or  Forty  Shillings,  in  Bills  of 
Credit  made  current  in  this  Colony.  For  every  such  Slave, 
as  aforesaid,  of  four  Years  old  and  upwards,  imported  from 
all  other  Places,  by  Land  or  Water,  the  Sum  of  Four  Pounds, 
in  like  Money. 

In  1713  it  was  enacted  that  no  retailer  of  strong 
liquors  was  to  sell  strong  liquors  to  any  negro  or 
Indian  slave  under  the  penalty  of  forty  shillings.  It 
must  have  been  concluded  that  they  were  better  off 
without  it,  were  better  men,  and  made  better  help.  It 
did  not  appear  to  make  any  difference  with  the  white 
people,  as  they  could  drink  all  they  wished.  Under 
the  Act  of  1730,  relating  to  slaves,  the  following  pro- 
visions were  made: 

No  Persons  to  trade  with  Slaves,  without  the  Consent  of  their 
Owners. 

Nor  to  sell  Strong  Liquors  to  them. 

O^vners  of  Slaves  may  punish  them  at  Discretion,  not  ex- 
tending to  Life  or  Limb. 

Not  above  three  Slaves  to  meet  together,  unless  about  some 
servile  Imployment. 

Every  City,  Town,  and  Manor,  may  appoint  a  common 
Whipper  for  their  Slaves.  The  Punishment  to  be  inflicted  on 
Slaves  for  striking  a  white  Man. 


Slavery.  227 

There  was  also  a  penalty  provided  for  harboring 
slaves,  and  on  free  negroes  for  entertaining  slaves. 
They  could  not  carry  arms.    Various  acts  were  passed 
in  relation  to  slaves  up  to  1800.     All  slave  children: 
born  after  1800  were  born  free,  and  all  slaves  becanae 
free  after  1820.    People  can  hardly  realize  that  in  tliis. 
north  country,  among  the  ancestry  here,  that  slavery 
was    ever   an   established   institution,    and  protected 
under  the  laws  of  the  country.    From  all  that  can  be 
learned,  this  slavery  was  of  a  mild  form.     There  is 
only  one  instance  now  to  be  found  where  a  slave  was 
killed  by  his  master  here.     There  is  no  tradition  that 
slaves  ever  ran  away   from  their  masters,   or  were 
severely  punished,  or  that  many  of  the  families  were 
separated  by  sale.       The  sales  appear  to  have  been 
mostly  of  young  men  and  women,  and  the  prices  for 
which  they  were  sold  were  not  large  —  about  the  price 
of  a  first-class  horse.     Most  of  the  families  that  could 
afford  it  would  have  a  young  slave  woman  for  a  ser- 
vant and  the  mistresses  were  generally  kind  and  con- 
siderate with  them.     In  the  division  of  the  property, 
the  girl  generally  went  with  the  mistress.     They  were 
useful  in  many  ways.       Slaves  often  remained  upon 
the  same  lands  for  generations,  were  born,  lived  and 
died  under  the  same  masters.     In  case  of  sale  of  the 
lands,  the  slaves  were  sometimes  sold  under  the  same 
deed,  and  oftentimes  strong  attachments  were  formed 
between  the  master  and  the  slaves.     It  seems  they  got 
along  well  together  as  a  general  thing.    Public  opinion 
was  such  that  no  master  would  be  countenanced   in 
treating  his  slaves  cruelly.    They  appeared  to  increase 
very  fast  under  slavery.     About  1790  or  1795,  there 
were  more  than  300  colored  people  in  this  town,  most 
of  whom  were  slaves;  whereas  at  the  present  time 
there  are  very  few  colored  people.     This  is  quite  re- 
markable from  the  fact  that  after  the  slaves  became 
free,  they  had  the  same  rights  as  other  people ;  could 


228  History  of  Marlborough. 


buy  and  sell  lands  and  other  property,  and  contract 
for  their  own  labor,  etc.  During  the  war  of  the 
Eevolution  they  remained  with  tlreir  masters  and  were 
loyal  to  the  cause.  We  cannot  learn  that  any  went 
over  to  the  enemy,  or  that  any  of  them  about  here  ever 
committed  any  serious  crimes.  The  back  seats  in  the 
churches  were  reserved  for  their  use  and  their  masters 
took  them  with  them  to  the  frolics  and  many  of  the 
doings  of  the  day.  It  is  hard  to  realize  at  this  distant 
day  that  the  forest  about  here  and  the  stony  lands 
were  cleared  up  by  the  slaves.  They  built  the  stone 
fences  and  worked  in  the  same  fields  that  the  people 
liere  work  in  now. 

There  are  many  bills  of  sale  of  slaves  still  to  be 
found  in  the  town,  two  of  which  are  here  given ;  also  a 
manumission  of  slaves.  J.  J.  A.  Robert  had  a  rope- 
walk  at  Marlborough;  he  was  a  large  slave  owner  and 
manumitted  several.  Also  Dr.  Benjamin  Ely  regis- 
tered the  birth  of  many  slave  children,  also  manu- 
mitted several  slaves.  I  believe  these  men  were  the 
largest  slave  owners  that  the  town  ever  had: 

Know  all  Men  by  These  Presents,  That 

I,  Joseph  Van  D  Water,  yeomen,  of  Long  Island  and  State 
of  New  York 

For  and  in  Consideration  of  the  Sum  of  twenty-five  pounds 
12  s  Current  Money  of  the  State  of  New  York  to  me  in  Hand 
paid,  at  and  before  the  Ensealing  and  Delivery  of  these  Pres- 
ents, by  Luke  C.  Quick  of  Marlborough  the  Eeceipt  whereof 
I  do  hereby  acknowledge,  and  myself  to  be  therewith  fully  satis- 
fied, contented  and  paid :  Have  granted,  bargained,  sold,  re- 
leased; and  by  these  Presents,  do  fully,  clearly,  and  absolutely 
grant,  bargain,  sell  and  release  unto  sd  Luke  C.  Quick  a  negro 
wench  about  eighteen  or  nineteen  years  old  named  Fan. 
To  have  and  to  hold  the  said  negro  wench  named  Fan  unto 
the  said  Luke  C.  Quick  his  Executors,  Administrators  and 
Assigns,  forever.  And  I  the  said  Joseph  Van  D  Water  for  my- 
self, my  Heirs,  Executors  and  Administrators,  do  covenant  and 
agree  to  and  with  the  above  named  Luke  C.  Quick-  his  Exec- 


Slavery.  229 

utors,  Administrators  and  Assigns,  to  warrant  and  defend  the 
Sale  of  the  above  named  negro  wench  Fan  against  all  Persons 
whatsoever.  In  Witness  Whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my 
Hand  and  Seal,  this  twenty-second  Day  of  July  Annoque 
Domini,  One  Thousand  Seven  Hundred  and  Ninety-One 
(1791.) 

JOSEPH. VAX  D  WATER 
Signed,  Sealed,  and  Delivered, 

In  the  Presence  of 
Thomas  White 

her 
Hannah    x    Campball 
mark 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  a  bill  of  sale  of  a  slave 
to  Josiali  Merritt,  grandfather  of  J.  C.  and  P.  E. 
Merritt.  The  slave  referred  to  was  the  mother  of 
Figaro  Milden,  and  grandmother  to  Jacob  and  George 
Milden,  of  Marlborough. 

KNOW  all  men  by  these  present?  that  I  Joseph  Sherwood  of 
the  Town  of  New  Burgh  County  Ulster  and  State  of  New  York 
for  and  in  Consideration  of  the  sum  of  Twenty  pounds  of  Cur- 
rent Lawful  money  to  me  in  hand  paid  by  Josiah  Merritt  of 
the  ToAvn  of  Marlborough  County  and  State  aforesaid  HAVE 
granted  bargained  and  sold  by  these  Presents  DO  grant  bar- 
gain and  sell  unto  the  sd  Josiah  Merritt  one  Negro  Girl 
Named  Syl  Aged  Seventeen  years  To  have  and  to  hold  the  said 
Negro  unto  the  sd  Josiah  Merritt  and  his  Executors  Admini- 
strators and  Assigns  for  and  during  the  Natural  life  of  Her 
the  sd  Girl.  And  I  the  said  Joseph  Sherwood  for  myself  my 
executors  and  Administrators  and  Assigns  against  me  the  said 
Joseph  Sherwood  my  Executors  Administrators  and-  x\ssigns 
shall  and  will  Warrant  and  Defend  by  these  Presents;  In 
witness  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  Hand  and  Seal  this, 
twenty-eighth  day  of  March  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
ninetv-three. 

JOSEPH  SHERWOOD,   (l.  s.) 
Sealed  (S:  Delivered 
in  the  presence  of 
Sarah   Mory, 
Jacob  Degroot, 


230  History  of  Marlborough. 

The  births  of  the  cliildreii  of  slaves  were  required 
to  be  registered  in  the  Town  Clerk's  office;  as  a  speci- 
men: 

This  is  to  certify  that,  the  subscriber,  Wilhehnus  DuBois, 
of  the  Town  of  Marlborough,  and  County  of  Ulster,  has  had  a 
male  child  born  of  his  black  woman,  a  slave,  the  fifth  day  of 
April  1801,  named  Titus. 

wiLHELMus  Dubois. 

Slaves  w^ere  often  voluntarily  set  free  by  their  mas- 
ters, as  the  following-  will  show : 

Copy  of  James  York's  Manumission. 

To  all  People  whom  it  may  concern;  know  ye  that  I,  Daniel 
Knowlton,  of  the  Town  of  New  Marlborough  in  Ulster  County 
and  State  of  New  York  for  the  Consideration  of  Forty-Nine 
pounds  Current  money  of  Said  State  to  me  in  hand  paid  be- 
fore the  Sealing  and  delivery  hereof,  the  Receipt  whereof  I 
here  Acknowledge  have  and  herel^y  do  to  all  Intents  and  pur- 
poses whatsoever  Manumit,  Release  and  fully  and  forever  dis- 
charge and  set  at  liberty  my  Servant  Negro  man,  the  bearer 
hereof  Named  James,  to  go  and  Come  and  Act  and  do  with 
all  the  Prerogatives  of  Lawful  Freedom  without  me  or  any  in 
my  Name  or  under  me  to  Control,  interrupt  or  hinder  him  in 
the  Exercise  of  Said  Liberty. 

AND  FURTHER  I  do  bind  myself,  my  heirs  and  Assigns 
forever  hereafter  to  Renounce  and  disclaim  all  rights  or 
pretensions  of  Right  and  property  in  and  to  the  person  or 
Services  of  Said  Negro  man  in  any  light  or  Manner  Con- 
sidered as  a  Slave.  In  Testimony  whereof  I  have  hereunto 
Set  my  hand  and  afhxed  my  Seal  this  Twenty-sixth  day  of 
Augnst  annog.  Domini  One  tliousant  Seven  Hundred  and 
Ninety-four. 

Witness  Present     Signed  by  DANIEL  KNOWLTON     Seal 
Jno   Hallock.       The   above  is  a  true  copy  taken   from 
the  original.     Attest;  Benj.  Townsend 

Marlborough    20,    Sept.         Town    Clerk 
1800. 

.  This  man  appears  to  have  bought  his  freedom. 


Copy  of  Harry's  Manumission. 

Know  all   men  by  these  presents   that  I   Noah  Woolsey  of 
the    Town    of    Marlborough    County    of    Ulster    and    State   of 


Slavery.  231 

New  York,  have  this  day  manumitted,  freed  and  set  at 
Liberty  my  negro  slave  Harry  aged  twenty-eight  years  and 
that  he  is  forever  absolved  from  any  Claims  of  his  said  master 
whatever. 

Given    under    my    hand    at    Marlborough    the    37th    day    of 

March   1821 

A  true  copy  Signed  NOAH  AVOOLSEY 

Attest         Benjamin   Townsend         Town  Clerk 


This  is  to  certify  that  I,  John  J.  Alex'r  Robert  of  Marl- 
borough, Ulster  County  and  State  of  New  York,  do  by  these 
presents  manumitt  and  forever  set  free  and  discharge  my 
black  man  named  Francis  Figarow  aged  about  thirty-three 
years,  also  my  black  woman,  his  wife,  named  Marie  Alzier 
aged  about  thirty  three  years ;  to  act  and  to  do  for  themselves 
in  all  case  or  cases,  thing  or  things  whatsoever,  forever,  here- 
after as  though  they  were  born  free. 

In  testimony  whereof  I  have  hereimto  set  my  hand  and  seal 
this  seventh  day  of  April  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thous- 
and eight  hundred  and  twelve. 

Signed         J.  J.  A.  ROBERT         (Seal) 

In  presence  of 
John  Dasylva 
Aaron  Innis 


Known  all  men  by  these  presents  that  I,  J.  J.  A.  Roberts 
of  the  Town  of  Marlborough,  County  of  Ulster  and  State  of 
New  York,  for  the  consideration  sum  of  one  hundred  dollars 
to  me  in  hand  paid,  the  receipt  is  hereby  acknowledged  by 
Francis  Figarro  a  free  black  man,  have  and  do  by  these  pres- 
ents grant,"  release,  and  renounce  all  right,  title  and  interest, 
which  were  in  my  possession  to  a  male  slave  by  the  name  of 
Lewis  Cipricnmango  to  be  free  the  remainder  of  his  natural 
life  from  all  bondage  as  if  he  were  born  free. 

February  24th,^814.     Signed  J.  J.  A.  ROBERT      (Seal) 
Witnesses  present 
Samuel  Drake 
David  T.  Merritt. 


232  History  of  Marlborough. 

Ulster  County,  ss  Of  the  term  of  September,  1812,  on 
the  application  of  James  Hallock  for  the  manumission  of  his 
negro  slave  named  Betty,  and  on  the  requisite  testimony  of 
having  conformed  to  the  directions  of  the  act  of  the  Legislature 
of  this  State  passed  8th  April,  1801,  concerning  slaves  and 
servants  of  the  second  section  thereof,  and  that  the  slave  was 
under  the  age  of  fifty  years  and  of  sufficient  ability  to  maintain 
herself.  It  is  ordered  by  the  C'ourt  of  General  Sessions  of  the 
Peace  now  here  that  the  said  ap{)lication  l)e  granted  accord- 
ingly. 

By  order  of  the  Cuirt.         CHRIST^V  TAPPEN,  Clerk. 

From  this  it  seems  that  the  Quakers  also  had 
slaves;  in  fact  at  this  time,  there  was  no  distinction 
made.  Everybody  thought  that  slavery  was  rigiit; 
they  were  born  and  brought  up  to  it  and  took  it  as  a 
matter  of  course.  A  person  manumitting  a  slave  had 
to  show  that  they  were  of  sufficient  al)ility  to  main- 
tain themselves,  that  is,  strong  and  healthy  and  cap- 
able of  making  a  living  for  themselves,  and  if  they 
were  not,  then  they  executed  a  bond  to  the  people, 
that  the  slave  manumitted  should  not  become  a  pub- 
lic charge. 


Samples  of  Records  of  Births. 

A  black  girl  born  the  first  of  April  1801  named  Maria 
Eode  and  it  is  said  John  Peter  Janson  is  the  father.  All  of 
them  black.  Another  girl  born  the  3rd  of  April,  1801,  named 
Maria  Olive  and  it  is  said  John  Francois  Figars  is  the  father. 

This  declaration  is  made  by  the  subscriber  to  whom  the 
slaves  above  mentioned  l)elonged.  Marll)orough  3nd  of  Sep- 
tember. 1801. 

Sioned         J'X  J'PH  ALEX'P  EOBERT. 


Ulster  This  may   certify   that   Jolm.    a  mulatto   boy, 

County  was  born  the  29th  of  Xovember,  180T  of  a  female 

slave  belonoino;  to  the  subscril)er.      Also   another  bov  between 


Samples  of  Records  of  Births.  233 


mulatto  and  black  named  Mirtil  born  the  lotli  of  November, 
1808.  Signed         J.   J.   A.  ROBERT. 

Marlborongh  29th  Nov.,  1808. 


Ulster  This    may    certify    that    a    female    child 

County  named  Catherine  was  born  of  Fanny,  a  slave 

of  the  subscriber,  May  21st,  1812. 

This  may  certify  that  a  male  child  named  Isaac  was  born  of 
Caty,  a  slave,  April  3rd,  1813. 


I  hereby  certify  that  a  male  child  was  born  of  Kate,  a  slave 
belonging  to  the  subscriber,  named  Isaac,  April  3rd,  1813. 
Also  a  female  child  of  Fanny.  Sept.  19th,  1814,  named  Phillis. 

All  belonging  to  Benj.  Ely. 


Among  others  wlio  owned  slaves  in  the  town,  and 
to  whom  slave  children  were  ''born,"  were  Charles 
Brown,  Nathaniel  Harcourt,  J.  J.  A.  Robert,  Benja- 
min Ely,  Thaddeus  Halt,  Charles  Millard,  Josiah 
Merritt,  Zacliarias  Hasbronck,  Rachel  DnBois,  Jr., 
James  Qnimby,  Benjamin  Townsend,  and  John  Wy- 

gant. 

The  slaves  generally  took  the  names  of  their  mas- 
ters and  were  nsually  kindly  treated,  but  it  appeared 
to  be  hard  to  punish  anyone  for  killing  a  slave.     A 
man  living  at  Lattinto^m,  who  owned  a  negro  man 
slave,  coming  home  one  day  was  met  by  his  wife  in 
great  excitement  and  she  said  to  him,  ' '  Jim,  thai  d— 
negro  has  run  away  again.     Bring  him  back  dead  or 
alive."     So  Jim  put  a  double  barreled  shotgun  in  his 
wagon  and  started  on  the  back  road  towards  New- 
burgh  —  the  route  his  wife  indicated  the   slave  had 
gone.    He  overtook  the  slave  just  below  the  limits  of 
the  town  and  where  a  small  graveyard  was  along  side 
of  the  road.     He  called  to  the  slave  to  stop,  but  the 
slave  ran  across  this  graveyard  and  he  shot  and  killed 
the  slave  there.     He  loaded  him  into  his  wagon  and 
brought  him  back  dead  to  his  wife.    He  was  arrested 


234  History  of  Marlborough. 

and  taken  for  examination  before  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace  living  where  Washburn  Baxter  recently  died. 
During  the  examination  he  escaped,  and  remained 
away  some  time  and  that  was  the  last  of  it. 

The  slaveholder  complained  of  being  very  poor.  He 
said  that  slaves  raised  a  big  crop  of  corn  every  year, 
but  that  the  corn  was  fed  to  the  hogs  and  the  slaves 
ate  the  hogs  all  up  and  he  had  notliing  left. 

With  some  of  the  slaveholders,  the  slaves  were 
thought  much  of  and  treated  almost  as  members  of  the 
family.  An  old  man  with  a  large  tract  of  land  had 
among  his  slaves  one  called  Harry.  He  was  very 
large  and  a  fine-looking  fellow.  He  was  the  leader 
of  a  company  or  squad  of  colored  men  who  formed 
either  a  militia  company  or  drilled  as  such.  His  old 
master  was  very  proud  of  Mm,  and  he  always  rode 
his  owner's  big  black  stallion  on  such  occasions. 

As  a  fitting  conclusion  to  this  chapter  we  publish  a 
poem  on  slavery  by  Samuel  A.  Barrett. 


To  Slavery. 


Blot  upon  our  country's  pages ! 

Mocker  of  her  liberty ! 
Wlio,  that  lives  in  after  ages, 

Will  believe  that  it  could  be 
That  earth's  most  enlightened  nation 
Gave  thee  honor,  power  and  station? 

That  a  Christian  people,  ever 
Boasting  Freedom's  only  chart, 

Should,  by  every  foul  endeavor, 
Aid  thee,  demon  as  thou  art! 

And  perpetuate  thee  long. 

With  thy  deep  and  damning  wrong? 

Damning  wrong — that  ever  rises. 
With  its  victims'  groans,  to  God ! 

Yet  our  law  its  cry  despises, 
And  upholds  the  tyrant's  rod — 

Hurls  the  captive  to  the  earth — - 

Crushes  freedom  at  its  birth — • 


To  Slavery.  235 


But  there  is  a  law,  that  teaches 
Truth,  and  right,  and  liberty; 

Strong  that  law,  and  far  it  reaches. 
Over  land  and  over  sea^ — 

'Tis  implanted  in  each  mind 
Of  the  whole  of  human  kind. 

Thrones,  before  that  law,  now  totter — 
Mitres,  to  the  earth  are  hurled; 

And   the   truth  its  champions  utter. 
Stirs  the  pulses  of  the  world ! 

They  proclaim  Equality — 

Hear  and  tremble,  Slavery ! 

Yes  !  dark  monster !  thou  art  fated — 
Thy   death-hour  is   drawing  nigh, 

Tho'  thy  maw  be  yet  unsated 
With  thy  victim's  agony ! — 

Eight  is  hourly  growing  stronger — 

Thou  canst  live  but  little  longer! 

Over  our  fair  land  is  breaking 
Truth's  effulgence,  far  and  fast; 

Men,   from  error's   trance  awaking. 
Feel  that  they  have  hearts,  at  last! 

And  confess,  as  all  men  should. 

Universal  brotherhood. 

Eise,   Columbia!   rise  in  glory, 

Wipe  the  foul  stain  from  thy  brow; 

And  in  future  song  and  story. 

Thou  shalt  live,  as  thou  shouldst  now, 

Earth's  model-nation,  great  and  free, 

And  pioneer  of  Liberty! 

Break  thy  children's  galling  fetters — 
Lo !  their  blood  pollutes  thy  plains ! 

Tyrants,  and  their  base  abettors. 
Wring  it  daily  from  their  veins ! 

Yet  employ  no  means  coercive. 

Such,  of  good,  are  aye  subversive. 

Truth,  alone,  should  be  thy  agent, 

'Tis  a  power  omnipotent; 
Truth,  without  parade  or  pageant. 

Bonds,  and  bars,  and  walls  hath  rent: — 
'Tis  the  weapon  God  employs, — 
Use  it,  and  thou  shalt  rejoice. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  War  of  1812  and  the  Mexican  War. 

Both  of  these  wars  were  very  unpopular  with  the 
people  of  the  town  of  Marlborough.  A  few  attempts 
were  made  to  get  up  some  enthusiasm,  but  they  were 
dismal  failures.  Most  of  our  people  thought  the^-e 
wars  were  uncalled  for  and  that  they  could  and  should 
have  been  avoided.  A  few  men  may  have  drifted  off 
and  enlisted,  but  no  record  can  be  found  of  their  en- 
listments. Certainly  no  one  of  any  prominence  from 
here  took  part  in  either  war. 

A  regiment  for  the  war  of  1812  was  raised  in  the 
county  under  Colonel  Hawkins,  a  lawyer  of  Kingston. 
It  was  mustered  into  service  and  stationed  at  Staten 
Island  to  cover  New  York,  and  the  fortification  in 
the  Narrows.  It  was  in  no  engagement,  and  after  a 
few  months  returned  home.  After  the  capture  of 
Washington  in  1814,  there  was  great  alarm  all 
through  the  country;  and  our  people  were  expecting 
daily  to  see  the  enemy's  vessels  approaching  our 
shores.  It  became  necessary  to  increase  the  troops 
for  the  defense  of  New  York  harbor,  and  in  August, 
1814,  General  Frederick  Westbrook  of  Ulster  county 
made  a  levy  of  500  men  from  his  command,  and  in 
September  he  embarked  his  men  on  sloops  at  King- 
ston Point  for  New  York  harbor.  But,  like  Colonel 
Hawkins'  regiment  they  saw  no  real  warfare  and  re- 
turned home  in  December  of  the  same  year. 

I  cannot  find  what  men  from  this  town  were  in 
these  commands,  but  it  is  quite  likely  that  there  were 
some,  as  they  were  recruited  all  over  the  county. 

There  was  much  rejoicing  in  the  town  on  the  17th 
of  February  1815,  on  the  cessation  of  hostilities,  and 
the  treaty  of  peace.     The  war  was  injurious  to  the 


238  History  of  Marlborough. 

business  of  the  country;  it  affected  all  class-es  of 
people;  the  specie  of  the  country  was  not  in  circula- 
tion, but  was  hoarded  or  exported;  the  banks  stopped 
specie  payment,  and  ''  shin  plasters  "  were  issued, 
and  circulated  as  money;  our  ancestors  had  no  other 
currency  for  some  time.  Finally,  those  wliich  were 
not  lost  or  destroyed  were  redeemed  in  specie. 

As  a  conclusion  to  this  article  we  give  two  poems 
written  by  Samuel  A.  Barrett. 


Our  Country's  Quarrel. 

(Written  in  the  early  stage  of  the  Mexican  war  —  soon  after  the  sur- 
render of  Monterey.) 

"  Stand  thou    by  thy  country's  quarrel, 
Be  that  quarrel  what  it  may; 
He  shall  wear  the  greenest  laurel 

Who   shall   gi-eatest   zeal   display." —  T.   G.  Spear. 

What  boots  the  "greenest  laurel"  wreath, 
If  wet  with  tears  and  stain'd  with  blood? 

'Tis  fouler  than  the  Siroc's  breath! 

And  loathed  by  all  the  just  and  good. 

The  cypress  were  a  fitter  wreath 

For  those  who  do  the  work  of  Death, 

Unless  inspired  by  Freedom's  breath. 

Shame  to  the  Bard  whose  lyre  is   strung 

To  sound  Dishonor's  praise  afar! 
Tho'  prostituted  Press  and  tongue 

Commend  Oppression's  coward  war  — 
The  bard  —  the  bard  should  ever  be 
The  champion  of  humanity, 
From  prejudice  and  error  free. 

There's  blood  on    Palo  Alto's  plains ! 

And  in  Tampico's  sunny  sands ! 
That  blood  once  flow'd  in  Christian  veins. 

That  blood  was  shed  by  Christian  hands! 
Oh!  wherefore  was  it  shed?  wherefore 
Do  we  invade  a    foreign  shore? 
Or  drench  a  foreicjn   soil  with  gore? 


Our  Country's  Quarrel.  239 

Look  up  along  the  Eio  Grande  — 

A^Tiat  desolation  meets  thine  eye ! 
What  monuments  of  ruin  stand 

Amid  its  lovely  scenery ! 

Fiend  of  War  has  reveled  there ! 
And  hamlet,  cot,  and  country  bear 
Marks  of  his  presence  everywhere. 

Gaze  on  Monterey's  ruined  walls, 

On  fallen  Matamoras  gaze  — 
The   very   sight   thy   soul   appals ! 

And  yet  thou  joinest  in  the  praise 
Of  those  who  laid  those  cities  low. 
Who  hurl'd  the  death-shot-struck  and  blow  — 
And  made  the  blood  in  torrents  flow ! 

Hark !  every  bland  and  balmy   breeze, 

That  comes  from  far-off  Mexico, 
Oppressed   with  human   miseries, 

And  with  the  widow's  wail  of  woe  — 
Brings  something  what  we  should  not  hear, 
Brings  something  that  should  pain  our  ear. 
And  wring  from  every  eye  a  tear! 

Those  bloody  battles  fought  and  won  — 
What  are  they  worth?  what  have  they  cost? 

What  have  they  for  our  country  done? 
What  have  they  for  our  country  lost? 

They've  won  for  her  a  conquerors  name. 

Leagued  with  dishonor  and  with  shame! 

And  lost  her  early,  honest  fame ! 

Millions  of  treasure,  too,  they've  lost  — 

But  oh!  the  loss  of  human  life 
Is  ever  greatest  —  ever  most, 

Is  War's  unblest,  unholy  strife! 
What  is  the  shout  of  victory, 
But  War's  appalling  minstrelsy? 
The  death-dirge  of  humanity! 

Wliy  ride  our  ships  on  foreign  seas? 

Why  seek  our  troops  a  foreign  foe? 
Wliy  streams  our  banner  on  the  breeze 

Of  fair  and  sunny  Mexico? 


240  History  of  Marlborough. 

Why  comes  the  widow's  wail  afar, 
Blent  with  the  awful  notes  of  War? 
Canst  answer  why  these  sad  things  are? 

Is  it  because  insulted  Eight 

Seeks  to  enforce  an  honest  claim? 

No ;  — 'tis  because  oppressive  Might 
Seeks  to  extend  his  wide  domain ! 

Regardless  of  a  Nation's  laws, 

With  scarce  the  shadow  of  a  cause ! 

God !  who  can  give  such  deeds  applause  ? 

For  this,  are  countless  orphans  made, — 
For  this,  are  cities  hurl'd  to  dust  — 

And  War,  that  most  unholy  trade, 

Is  flattered,  honored,  and  calTd  "just!" 

Oh  Heaven !  that  such  things  e'er  should  be, 

In  this  the  nineteenth  century 

Of  peaceful  Christianity. 

Where  are  the  hearts  that  felt  for  Greece, 

And  wept  o'er  Poland's  funeral  day? 
Where  are  the  partisans  of  Peace? 

Of  Eight?  of  Justice?  Where  are  they? 
Mute  is  their  voice !  —  or  only  heard 
In  warnings,  like  the  prophet's  word. 
Who  wields  the  sword  shall  feel  the  sword ! 

Why  is  the  stateman's  voice  unheard  ? 

Why  sleeps  the  God-taught   Poet's  pen? 
Shall    Nation's   rights  be   sepulchred, 

And  all  respond  amen  !  amen  ! 
Ye  civil  Fathers !  can  it  be  ? 
Have  you  no  soul  of  sympathy 
For  justice  and  humanity? 

Awaken  from  your  lethargy  I 
The  influence  that  you  possess 

Can  rule  a  nation's  destiny, 

Can  curse  her  fortunes,  or  can  bless. 

Will  ye  not  use  it  while  ye  may? 

Will  ye  not  work,  while  yet  'tis  day. 

For  Peace  and  for  America  ? 


Ballad.  241 

Avert  the  military  flood, 

Which   threatens  to  o'erwhehn  our  land; 
Some  upstart  hero,   drunk  with  blood, 

Will  soon  aspire  to  its  command ! 
'Twas  ever  thus  —  the  ghost  of  Eome, 
From  crumbling  fane  and  ruin'd  dome. 
Warns  of  the  evil  that  may  come ! 
December,  1846. 


Ballad. 


When    the   Hudson's   waves   are   gleaming 
In  the  moonlight's  mellow   ray, 

Lovely  Ellen  lonely  wanders, 
From  her  dwelling  far  away. 

When  the  rose  of  youth  was  blooming 
On  her  soft  and  snowy  cheek. 

And  the  world  was  bright  before  her, 
Edwin  did  her  dwelling  seek. 

Earnestly  he  woo'd  and  won  her  — 
She  became  his  happy  bride  — 

And  where  now  she  wanders  lonely. 
Oft  they  wandered  side  l)y  side. 

They  were  loving,  loved  and  lovely ; 

Life  to  them  was  fall  of  bliss  — 
Three  glad,  sunny  summers  l)rought  them 

Pleasures,  healtli,  and  happiness. 

But  a  sudden  change  came  o'er  them ! 

Duty  beckon'd  him  afar : 
Oh !  that  man  should  e'er  be  sommon'd 

By  the  tragic  voice  of  War ! 

On  the  field  of  Cerro  Gordo, 
Edwin  slumbers  with  the  slain ! 

When  the  awful  news  was  brought  her, 
Eeason  fled  her  fevered  brain. 

Xow,  a  wretched  maniac,  roving 
Thro'  the  scenes  of  former  bliss. 

The  once  gay  and  lovely  Ellen 
Dreams  no  more  of  happiness. 


242 


History  of  Marlborough, 


An  Old  Assessment  Roll. 

Assessment  of  the  Lands  in  William  Bond's  Patten t,  for 
Quit  Eents,  made  by  James  Hallock  and  Benjamin  Townsend, 
Assessors. 

Marlborough,    16th    October,    1815. 


Men's  Names. 

James  Hallock 

Foster  Hallock 

David   Conkliu   

Francis   Pell   

Hallock    &   Sowles    

Joshua   Sutton   

Ricliard  I.   Woolsey    

James   Hull    

Alexander   Young    

James   Fowler    

Thomas   Mackej^    

Nathaniel   Chittenden     

Comfort    Lewis     

Benjamin   Townsend    

Volentine   Lewis    

Micajah    Lewis    , 

Rufus  N.   Lewis    

Nathaniel    Woolsey    

Zadock    Lewis    

Friends'   meeting-house    lot    

Amount   7 


Marll)oroiigli.     Tenth  Month 
the  16  1815 

BENJ'>^^  TOWNSEXD 
JAMES    HALLOCK. 


No.  of 
Acres. 

Amount  Each 
Person  has 
to  pay. 
ct.  mills. 

150 

$14   70 

91 

8  91   8 

1 

9  8 

1 

9  8 

4 

39  2 

50 

4  90 

50 

4  90 

80 

7  84 

49 

4  80  2 

103 

10  09  4 

35 

3  43 

6 

58  8 

50 

4  90 

30 

2  94 

14 

1  37  2 

5 

49 

4 

39  2 

24 

2  35  2 

24 

2  35  2 

1 

9  8 

, ..      772 

$75  52  5 

Assessors 


The  above  is  a  copy  of  an  assessment  roll  of  the 
lands  and  people  on  the  Bond  Patent  for  quitrents. 
At  this  time  all  the  lands  of  the  Bond  Patent  had  been 
sold  to  actual  settlers,  and  I  cannot  see  why  an  assess- 
ment for  quitrent  was  made,  or  where  the  money  went 
to,  for  what  purpose  it  was  used,  and  how  or  why 
Benjamin  Townsend  and  James  Hallock  were  asses- 
sors of  the  lands  of  this  patent.     The  duly  elected 


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An  Old  Assessment  Eoll.  243 


assessors  of  the  town  for  the  year  1815  were  Allen 
Lester-  Eliplialet  Smith  and  George  Birdsall.  So  this 
quitrent  assessment  must  have  been  for  some  special 
purpose,  and  probably  had  been  continued  from  the 
earliest  settlements,  when  such  an  assessment  and  tax 
were  the  custom.  The  document  makes  the  acreage 
of  the  Bond  Patent  as  772  acres,  which  is  probably 
correct,  as  surveys  were  made  by  purchasers.  The 
original  grant  called  for  600  acres,  but  this  was  ex- 
clusive of  lands  for  roads  and  rugged  and  barren 
lands. 

Horatio  G-ates  Saiford,  LL.  D.,  in  a  Gazetteer  pub- 
lished in  1813,  describes  Marlborough  as  follows: 

The  land  is  under  good  cultivation,  and  is  productive  of  all 
the  common  agricultural  products  of  this  region.  A  larger 
proportion  of  English  families  than  any  town  in  the  coimtry. 

The  road  of  the  Farmers'  Turnpike  and  Bridge  Co.  termi- 
nates in  this  town.  *  *  *  There  are  seven  or  eight 
schools.  In  1810,  population  1964.  There  are  ahout  74  looms  in 
families  which  produce  annually  22,937  yards  of  cloth  for  com- 
mon clothing. 

Satford's  Gazetteer  of  1824  gives  the  following  de- 
scription of  Marlborough: 

Marlborough,  a  small  Township  in  the  southeast  corner  of 
Ulster  County,  on  the  west  shore  of  the  Hudson  opposite 
Bamegat,  23  miles  south  of  Kingston,  bd,  N.  by  New  Paltz,  E. 
by  Hudson,  S.  by  Newburgh  and  County  of  Orange,  W.  by 
Plattekill.  Its  medial  extent  N".  and  S.  is  about  six  miles  and 
it  may  be  three  wide,  its  area  about  eighteen  sq.  miles.  The 
land  is  under  general  cultivation  and  it  produces  of  all  the 
common  agricultural  products  of  the  region.  The  inhabi- 
tants consist  of  a  larger  proportion  of  English  families  than 
in  uiost  of  the  Towns  of  this  County. 

The  road  of  the  Farmers'  Turnpike  and  Bridge  Company 
terminates  in  this  town.  There  are  a  good  many  "  Friends  " 
in  this  town,  who  have  a  Meeting  House,  and  there  is  also  one 
for  the  Presbyterians. 

There  is  a  small  Hamlet  called  iMilton,  a  neighborhood  called 
Lattintown,  besides  some  river  landings  and  places  of  business. 
The  lands  are  held  by  right  of  sale.     Population,  2,248 ;  tax- 


244  History  of  Marlborough. 

able  property,  $108,172;  electors,  364;  acreas  of  improved  land, 
9,436;  1,665  cattle;  424  horses;  2,092  sheep;  10,887  yds.  of 
cloth,  made  in  families;  7  grist-mills;  5  saw-mills;  2  "fulling 
mills;  3  carding  machines;  1  cotton  and  woolen  factory  and 
1  distillery.     One  of  the  stated  places  of  monthly  meeting. 

The  description  of  Marlborough  published  in  Jedi- 
diah  Morse's  "American  Gazetteer"  1789  is  as 
follows : 

New  Marlborough,  a  township  in  Ulster  County,  New  York, 
on  the  west  side  of  Hudson's  river,  north  of  Newburgh.  It 
contains  2,241  inhabitants;  of  whom  339  are  electors  and  58 
slaves. 

At  the  time  of  this  last  description  the  population 
also  included  what  is  now  Plattekill,  as  that  was  not 
separated  from  Marlborough  until  1800;  but  by  1810 
Marlborough  alone  had  reached  a  population  of  1,9G4; 
and  in  1820  it  had  a  population  of  2,248.  It  was  at 
that  time  the  smallest  town  in  point  of  area  in  the 
county  but  with  more  population  than  most  of  them, 
and  had  more  than  one-half  the  population  the  town 
now  has,  showing  it  has  been  a  populous  country 
town  from  earliest  times.  The  lands  were  under  quite 
general  cultivation  or  improvements,  —  9,436  acres 
out  of  about  14,500,  the  whole  acreage  of  the  town. 
The  description  of  location  as  being  opposite 
Barnegat  sounds  strange  now  when  there  is  not  a  ves- 
tage  left  of  the  place  except  the  ruins  of  the  kilns  and 
foundations  of  houses.  At  the  time  spoken  of  there 
were  a  large  number  of  kilns  and  a  small  village  of 
houses.  An  extensive  business  was  done  in  burning 
and  shipping  lime.  The  town  was  then  a  strictly 
farming  community;  cattle,  sheep  and  horses  were 
plentiful,— 2,992  sheep  are  given,  1,665  cattle.  To  be 
sure  there  is  no  such  number  here  now,  and  424  horses 
will  cover  most  all  we  have  at  the  present  time. 

The  munber  of  mills  appear  large,  but  at  that  time 
all  the  flour  was  made  from  the  grain  raised  on  the 


Ancient  Houses.  245 


farms,— it  was  not  brought  here  in  barrels  from 
abroad;  and  the  Imnber  for  all  purposes  was  sawed 
from  the  logs  cut  on  the  farms,  and  the  boards  carted 
back  home  to  build  houses,  etc.  Mills  had  commenced 
to  assist  in  the  manufacture  of  cloth.  The  one  dis- 
tillery is  a  luxury  that  has  gone  out  of  existence ;  our 
people  must  have  been  moderate  drinkers,  as  Platte- 
kill,  at  the  same  time,  had  seven.  The  Quakers 
boasted  of  a  monthly  meeting.  Taken  all  in  all  it 
gives  a  very  clear  description  of  the  state  of  things 
in  the  town  in  those  times. 


Ancient  Houses. 
The  original  houses  were  mostly  log;  they  were 
•easily  and  cheaply  built.  The  first  settlers  had  no  saw 
mills  and,  therefore,  no  boards  except  such  as  they 
split  or  hewed  out  to  use  for  the  floors,  doors,  etc. 
Many  afterward  built  stone  houses  as  additions  to  the 
log  houses.  AVhen  the  saw  mills  started  up  then  the 
frame  buildings  commenced  to  be  built.  The  material 
was  cheap  and,  as  mechanics  were  scarce,  the  settlers 
generally  constructed  their  own  dwellings.  Abner 
Brusch,  who  owned  the  south  half  of  the  Barbarie 
Patent,  where  Milton  now  is,  or  his  grantor,  Richard 
Albertson,  built  a  log  house  at  the  Conkliu  place, 
Milton,  about  1740;  he  afterward  built  a  small  frame 
house  which  is  still  standing,  being  the  north  part  of 
the  Conklin  house.  It  is  the  same  as  when  built  and 
has  two  huge  stone  fireplaces.  This  is  one  of  the 
oldest,  if  not  the  oldest  house  now  standing  in  the 
town.  The  next  house  built  about  the  same  time  or 
previous  is  the  stone  house  adjoining  the  Lester  place 
on  the  north.  This  was  on  the  Bond  Patent.  John 
Young  lived  here  in  1760  and  some  time  previously; 
he  liad  married  one  of  the  ten  daughters  of  Edward 


246  History  of  Marlborough. 

Hallock,  and  in  December,  1760,  Edward  Hallock 
moved  his  family  up  in  a  sloop  from  Long  Island.  He 
brought  his  wife,  nine  daughters  and  two  sons,  and 
moved  in  with  his  son-in-law,  and  nineteen  people 
wintered  in  this  small  house  in  which  there  has  never 
been  any  change  made.  Hallock  was  a  Quaker 
preacher,  and  here  were  held  the  first  (Quaker  meet- 
ings. There  is  a  tradition  that  a  peddler  years  after 
was  murdered  here  and  his  body  thrown  into  the  river. 
The  old  road  leading  to  the  river  went  by  this  house 
at  this  time.  Afterward  it  was  changed  further  north 
to  its  present  location.  The  house  at  Sear's  corner, 
the  Sturgeon  house,  belonged  to  the  Lewis  family  for 
many  years.  It  was  erected  before  the  Revolution^ 
most  likely  by  Elijah  Lewis ;  people  congregated  here 
to  get  the  news.  A  road  led  down  from  the  back 
country  to  Lewis'  dock.  This  house  was  a  stopping 
place  for  the  line  of  stages  running  in  winter  from 
New  York  to  Albany.  These  three  houses  are  with- 
out question  the  oldest  houses  in  the  town.  The  Du- 
Bois  house  at  Marlborough  and  the  Smith  house  at 
Milton  were  built  about  1765 ;  they  are  almost  as  sub- 
stantial as  when  erected.  The  Smith  house  has  an 
addition.  The  house  built  hj  Noah  Woolsey,  where 
Amelia  Woolsey  recently  died,  the  James  Nolan  house, 
at  the  brook  or  a  part  of  it,  a  part  of  the  H.  H.  Hal- 
lock house,  the  Odell,  Sulvenus  Purdy,  the  old  North- 
rip  house,  the  house  of  the  late  William  H.  Lyons,  the 
house  where  Theodore  Rhodes  recently  lived,  the 
house  at  the  mill  on  the  Hallock  place,  the  Frank 
Wood  and  Stott  houses  and  several  others  were  built 
prior  to  1800.  Also  the  Martin  house  on  the  turn- 
pike, which  was  a  tavern. 

Many  old  houses  have  been  torn  down  during  the 
last  fifty  years.  The  William  Holmes  house  recently 
torn  down  by  A.  J.  LEepworth  was  a  very  old  house. 
It  was  used  as  a  tavern  in  olden  times,  and  the  town 


Ancient  Mills  and  Factories.  247 

meeting  was  held  there  in  the  year  1801.  A  hundred 
years  ago  there  was  at  least  a  dozen  log  and  twice 
that  number  of  stone  houses  standing.  And  on  all  the 
oldest  farms  there  were  hous-es  in  1800  on  the  same 
sites  as  the  present  residences. 


Ancient  Mills  and  Factories. 

Edward  Hallock,  between  1760  and  1770  built  a 
grist  and  saw  mill  on  Hallock 's  brook  at  Milton,  just 
west  of  the  post  road  at  the  foot  of  the  first  hill; 
afterward  the  mill  was  changed  to  a  point  farther 
north,  where  it  now  stands.  He  erected,  dams  on  the 
stream,  wliich  made  the  commencement  of  the  Hallock 
ponds. 

About  this  time  Leonard  Smith  and  his  son,  Anning 
Smith,  built  the  Smith  pond,  a  mile  above  where  the 
Mary  Powell  dock  now  is  at  Milton.  They  started  a 
woolen  factory,  and  a  saw  and  grist  mill,  which  were 
in  existence  many  3'ears.  They  also  had  a  store  there, 
and  it  wag  quite  an  active  place. 

^  Major  Lewis  DuBois  had  two  grist  mills  on  old 
Man's  Kill  in  what  is  now  Marlborough  village.  He 
also  had  a  saw  mill  on  the  south  side  of  the  kill. 

About  1790  Charles  Millard  had  a  saw  mill  on 
Jew's  creek.  He  sawed  lumber  for  the  people,  and 
also  sold  and  sliipped  lumber.  In  1809  he  also  had 
a  grist  mill  there.  In  1815  John  Buckley,  who  was  an 
expert  wheelwright,  machinist  and  manufacturer,  pur- 
chased this  property  of  Millard,  and  had  a  carding 
and  spinning  mill  there;  a  part  of  the  old  mill  is  still 
standing.  He  spun  and  carded  wool  for  the  farmers, 
and  soon  after  began  making  cloth.  In  1822  he  took 
James  and  John  Thorne  in  as  partners  under  the  firm 
name  of  "  Thornes  and  Buckley,"  and  the  place  be- 
came known  as  the  ]\Iarlborough  woolen  factory,  in 


248  History  of  Marlborough. 

which  the  business  and  facilities  were  increased.  In 
connection  with  the  previous  products,  broadcloths 
and  satins  were  manufactured.  The  firm  was  dis- 
solved in  1830  but  was  carried  on  by  Mr.  Buckley  in 
the  same  manner  until  1855.  During  this  time  no 
better  work  was  done  in  the  State.  The  goods  were  a 
standard  article  wherever  they  were  sold,  and  large 
amounts  were  manufactured.  A  large  part  of  the 
farmers  of  southern  Ulster  and  Orange  counties  were 
supplied  with  their  best  cloth  from  here. 

The  late  Mrs.  Martha  Poyer,  (formerly  Miss 
Tooker),  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  oldest  families, 
who  died  during  the  past  year  at  the  age  of  93,  had  a 
puri^le  cloak  that  was  made  from  cloth  made  from  the 
wool  of  her  father's  sheep  when  she  was  a  girl.  It  is 
of  heavy  cloth,  and  lias  seen  more  than  75  years  of  ser- 
vice. The  color  is  bright  and  clear  and  it  is  in  a  good 
state  of  preservation.  It  is  quite  a  curiosity  in  its 
way.  It  was  always  kept  by  the  owner  as  her  dress- 
up  cloak. 

Foster  Hallock  carried  on  a  grist  mill  about  the 
year  1800  on  the  Hallock  brook.  His  son  Greorge 
afterward  conducted  it,  and  now  his  grandson  Robert 
H.  Hallock  runs  it,  and  is  doing  an  extensive  business. 
It  is  substantially  the  original  mill  with  a  few  altera- 
tions. The  original  mill  and  pond  were  built  by 
Sutton,  and  used  many  years  before  Hallock. 

Silas  Purdy  had  a  grist  mill  and  perhaps  a  saw 
mill  in  1765  and  for  many  years  afterward  at  what 
is  now  the  Henry  E.  Gaede  place,  and  until  recent 
years  there  had  been  a  mill  there  ever  since.  There 
was  also  a  tavern  and  a  store  at  this  place,  Purdy 
had  one  of  the  earliest  mills;  there  were  fulling,  card- 
ing and  other  mills  at  different  times  along  the  stream 
from  his  place  to  Marlborough  village. 

Wolvert  Ecker,  the  old  patriot,  had  one  of  the  very 
earliest  mills  on  Jew's  creek  just  over  the  town  line. 


Vessels  and  Transportation.  249 

where  the  Armstrong  place  now  is,  and  this  accommo- 
dated the  people  of  all  that  neighborhood  in  early 
times.  This  mill  was  in  existence  over  a  hnndred 
years.  I  find  in  very  ancient  pa])ers  that  there  was 
a  "  Deyoes  "  mill,  "  Henry  Tnrbnshe's  "  mill  and 
"  Samnel  Merritt's  "  mill,  but  I  cannot  locate  them. 


Vessels  and  Transportation. 

After  the  settlers  commenced  to  arrive  here  it  be- 
came necessary  to  have  some  means  of  travel  by  the 
river.  The  rowboat  and  canoe  were  of  no  service 
except  to  cross  the  river  and  for  use  along  the  shores 
for  short  distances,  so  the  people  soon  turned  their 
attention  toward  the  building  of  sloops.  Smith  built 
a  sloop  at  his  dock  before  the  Revolution;  it  was 
called  "Sally."  Sloops  were  also  built  at  Sands'  dock. 
Jacob  and  John  Wood,  Caverly  and  others  were  sloop 
builders,  and  built  vessels  along  the  river.  It  re- 
quired no  great  science  to  build  these,  but  it  was  quite 
an  industry  and  many  vessels  were  built,  not  only 
for  use  here,  but  for  use  abroad.  There  were  many 
skilled  carpenters ;  and  the  boats  they  afterward 
built  were  made  larger  and  with  more  pains  taken  in 
their  construction.  Some  were  built  of  red  cedar,  and 
considered  very  choice,  and  were  subsequently  planked 
and  replanked  and  lasted  a  long  time.  They  were 
made  tight,  seaworthy  and  strong,  and  when  equipped 
with  sails,  even  the  smaller  ones,  could  easily  make 
trips  up  and  down  the  entire  river.  Aiming  Smith 
ran  his  sloop  for  years  from  his  dock.  It  made  one 
triji)  a  week  to  New  York,  From  the  next  dock,  called 
Ni(  oil's  landing,  afterward  Bruscli  and  then  Sands' 
dock)  a  sloop  ran  to  New  York.  Sands  had  a  store 
at  this  dock  in  his  time.  Isaac  Hill  ran  two  sloops 
from  what  is  now  the  Powell  dock.     Hill  was  a  di- 


250  History  of  Marlborough. 


rector  and  instrumental  in  building  the  Farmers' 
Turnpike  to  bring  business  to  the  dock.  Jacob  and 
Thomas  Powell  ran  two  sloops  from  their  dock. 
There  was  transportation  from  there  twice  a  week. 
Quimby  and  Lewis  also  ran  sloops  and  Millard  and 
DuBois.  These  were  not  all  run  at  the  same  time, 
but  from  1760  to  1830. 

The  principal  staple  here  was  wood,  and  New  York 
city  wanted  large  quantities.  We  had  no  coal  then, 
and  thus  the  sloops  had  all  the  wood  they  could  carry. 
As  the  lands  were  cleared  up  and  the  crops  grew,  the 
produce  was  shipped  by  these  sloops.  The  farmers 
sent  their  butter,  grain,  hogs,  cattle  and  cider,  in  fact 
everything  they  could  spare  from  their  own  use  to 
New  York,  as  this  was  the  principal  if  not  the  only 
market  they  had.  The  sloops  returning  brought  goods 
and  supplies  for  the  stores  and  people. 

They  afforded  the  only  means  of  travel.  A  person 
going  to  New  York  or  Albany  or  on  trips  of  shorter 
distances  must  either  go  on  his  horse  or  take  the 
sloop.  It  was  rather  a  slow  trip,  taking  about  a  week 
to  go  and  return  and  transact  his  business,  but  no 
one  was  in  a  hurry  in  those  days.  The  sloops  were 
fitted  up  with  cabins,  that  is  to  say  the  vessels  on 
which  people  traveled,  and  they  generally  had  a  good 
cook,  so  it  was  a  pleasant  trip  and  answered  for  an 
outing.  The  trip  cost  little,  and  it  was  a  great  thing 
to  get  to  the  city  then.  Certain  vessels  made  trips 
as  regularly  as  wind  and  tide  allowed,  and  carried 
passengers  principally  together  with  freight.  The 
entire  travel  and  forwarding  of  the  river  was  done  in 
this  manner.  The  river  was  white  with  sails,  and  I 
have  heard  old  people  say  they  could  go  up  on  the 
hills  almost  any  time  and  count  fifty  sails  in  sight. 
After  a  while  fast  sailing  packets  handsomely  fitted 
up  sailed  from  Albany  to  New  York,  stopping  at 
intermediate  places,  making  good  time  and  thereby 


Vessels  and  Transportation.  251 

affording  great  improvement  on  the  former  means  of 
travel. 

Smith's  sloop  "  Sally  "  was  in  the  service  of  the 
government  in  the  Revolution.  It  was  used  afterward 
and  later  tied  at  the  south  of  Smith's  dock  and  sunk 
there;  the  body  of  the  vessel  could  be  seen  at  low 
water-mark  up  to  the  time  the  West  Shore  railroad 
was  built. 

There  were  many  lime-kilns  and  good  limestone  at 
Barnegat.  Sloops  brought  it  across  the  river,  and  it 
was  burn-ed  at  the  Lewis  and  Powell  kilns.  Lime  was 
also  burned  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  town  at 
what  is  now  the  Kerr  property.  This  made  con- 
siderable trade,  and  sloops  transported  it  up  and 
down  the  river. 

The  sloop  "  Stranger  "  was  run  from  DuBois'  dock 
about  1820  and  some  years  thereafter.  The  '^  Hoyt  " 
was  run  about  the  same  time  by  Mobary  Carpenter. 
As  trade  increased  Carpenter  and  Josiah  Lockwood, 
about  1825,  sailed  two  sloops  from  Marlborough  to 
New  York.  The  sloops  were  the  '' Victory"  and 
^'Robert  Menturn. "  They  carried  all  kinds  of  pro- 
duce and  did  an  extensive  business.  The  captain  sold 
the  cargoes  at  the  boat,  for  there  were  no  commission 
merchants  then.     These  vessels  ran  several  years. 

All  transportation  was  by  sailing  vessels  up  to 
1825,  and  some  even  after  that  date.  Steamboats  had 
then  come  into  use,  and  they  took  about  all  the  travel. 
A  7iumber  of  the  landings  did  not  afford  proper  dock- 
ing facilities  for  these  vessels,  so  the  passengers  were 
rowed  out  in  small  boats  to  them.  It  made  a  lively 
time  for  passengers  getting  on  and  off,  with  packages 
and  freight  being  tossed  right  and  left. 

There  was  a  good  steamboat  landing  at  Milton  as 
early  as  1830.  I  believe  before  that  time  steamboats 
landed  here.     In  1830  Peter  Quimby  advertised: 


252  History  of  Marlborough. 

Steam   Boat   Notice. 

The  Hudson  Eiver  Steam  Boat  Line  is  now  plying  between 
New- York  and  Albany,  leaving  New- York  at  5  o'clock,  P.  M. 
every  day,  (except  Sunday)  when  they  leave  Albany  at  10 
o'clock  A.  M'. 

The  Steam  Boats  arrive  at  Milton  from  Xew-York  every 
night  between  eleven  and  twelve  o'clock.  From  Albany,  they 
arrive  at  Milton  between  three  and  four  o'clock  every  after- 
noon. The  boats  will  land  and  receive  passengers  at  the  Steam 
Boat  Landing,  Milton. 

Milton,  May  3rd,  1830.  PETER  QLHIBY 

After  the  advent  of  steamboats  barges  came  in  use. 
The  steamers  would  bring  them  alongside  of  the  dock, 
and  after  they  were  loaded  up,  towed  them  to  the  city. 
They  took  the  place  of  sloops  to  some  extent,  and  were 
quicker  and  more  convenient.  I  cannot  tell  how  early 
they  were  used  in  this  town,  but  some  time  prior  to 
1830.  In  that  year  I  find  the  following  advertise- 
ment : 

Tow-Boat  Atlanta. 

Captain  Corn  well  S.  Roe. 

Li^rged  by  a  sense  of  duty  by  his  numerous  friends  announces 
the  uninterrupted  prosecution  of  his  Towing  Business,  and 
assures  the  public  that  there  is  no  ditficulty  now,  even  remote 
in  appearance;  he  makes  this  notice  for  the  express  purpose  to 
settle  the  agitation  of  the  public  in  relation  to  the  steam  boat 
accident,  some  time  since,  by  running  against  a  sloop.  *  *  * 
Wanted  Eye,  Oats  and  Corn  —  at  fair  prices  —  Cash  on 
delivery.      '  C.  S.  ROE. 

Milton,  May  19.  1830. 

This  barge  or  the  "  Lexington,"  Capt.  Roe,  stopped 
regularly  at  Marlborough.  Also  the  barge  "  Wall- 
kill  "  ran  from  Milton  in  1848,  and  the  barge  "Milan" 
in  1857  and  1858,  and  other  barges.  1  cannot  find 
how  long  any  of  these  barges  were  on  the  route.  There 
were  barges  almost  continuously  from  that  time  until 
about  1860.  After  which  time  the  steamboats  did 
the  work  of  these. 


Fereies  and  Docks.  253 

In  1836  a  stock  company  placed  the  steamboat 
"  Fannie  "  on  the  Marlborough  route,  and  ran  to 
New  York  twice  a  week.  Jacob  H.  Tremper  com- 
manded this  early  steam  craft,  which  was  run  two 
years,  and  then  sold  because  the  business  did  not  pay. 
Afterward  the  steamboat  "  Splendid,"  owned  by 
Millard  &  Mills,  was  put  on  the  route  in  1844  and 
1845,  and  remained  some  time.  In  1857  the  pro- 
peller ''  Wyoming  "  was  run  by  Millard  &  Holden. 

The  town  has  been  well  supplied  with  steamboats 
since  1830  for  passenger  travel.  Since  about  1850 
most  of  the  freight  and  produce  have  been  carried  by 
steamboats,  which  make  a  specialty  of  such  business. 
For  several  years  the  line  ran  from  Hudson  and  for 
the  past  fifty  or  sixty  years  it  has  been  chiefly  from 
Eondout,  and  now  it  is  the  Central  Hudson  Trans- 
portation Company.  The  transportation  business  has 
been  all  that  could  be  desired.  It  is  an  interesting 
matter  to  follow  transportation  from  the  crude  service 
at  its  commencement  down  to  the  excellent  service  we 
now  have. 


Ferries  and  Docks. 
This  town  was  originally  settled  almost  entirely  by 
people  from  Long  Island,  and  Westchester  county. 
The  people  coming  up  brought  their  horses,  cattle  and 
goods  with  them.  The  constant  traveling  between 
them  and  the  friends  they  left  behind  made  it  neces- 
sary to  early  establish  a  ferry  here  that  could  carry 
teams,  etc.  The  first  ferry  was  a  barge  or  scow  with 
sails  and  oars  and  ran  on  signals.  There  was  a  ferry 
at  Milton  called  Lattimer's  ferry,  running  from  the 
old  stone  house  south  of  the  depot  to  a  point  across 
the  river.  This  was  in  operation  during  the  Revo- 
lutionary War  and  for  many  years  afterward.    It  was 


254  History  of  Marlborough. 

said  that  during  the  war  regular  communication  was 
kept  up  between  the  patriots  of  Boston  and  the  forces 
in  the  Highlands  of  New  Jersey.  Money  to  pay  the 
troops  and  other  valuables  were  carried  on  this  ferry. 
The  old  stone  house  was  a  short  distance  south  of 
where  the  railroad  depot  now  is,  and  it  was  torn 
down  when  the  railroad  was  built.  It  is  presiuned 
that  Samuel  Hallock  ran  this  ferry  at  one  time.  He 
certainly  had  a  ferry  there  at  the  time  Vaughn  went 
up  the  river,  and  his  boat  was  spared  because  he  was 
a  Quaker.  His  ferry  may  have  run  a  part  of  the  time 
from  Brusch's  landing,  sometimes  called  Nicoll's 
landing,  which  Hallock  purchased  in  1776. 

The  following,  taken  from  Piatt's  History  of 
Poughkeepsie,  is  an  advertisement  of  a  ferry  (1798) 
in  the  Poughkeepsie  Journal : 

N.  B.  The  Ferryes  is  now  established  upon  a  reguhar  plan, 
and  travelers  to  the  Westward  will  find  it  much  to  their  con- 
venience to  cross  the  river  at  the  above  place  as  it  shortens  their 
journey,  and  they  may  be  sure  they  will  meet  with  no  detention. 

This  doubtless  indicates  the  beginning  of  regular 
ferry  service  at  Poughkeepsie.  There  is  no  record 
of  franchise  from  the  State.  Previously  horses  and 
wagons,  cattle,  etc.,  had  crossed  at  Theophilus  Antho- 
ney's  (Milton)  ferry  four  miles  below  Poughkeepsie. 
This  ferry  ran  from  Anthony's  Point  above  where 
the  stone  crushers  are  now,  across  the  river  to  where 
the  old  stone  house  stood.  It  appears  to  be  the  same 
as  Lattimer's  ferry.  This  ferry  was  called  by  both 
names,  and  was  one  and  the  same  ferry.  I  find  it 
spoken  of  on  this  side  of  the  river  as  Lattimer's  ferry, 
and  on  the  other  side  as  Anthony's  ferry.  It  may 
have  been  owned  by  these  different  parties  at  differ- 
ent times.  It  afforded  the  principal  or  only  crossing 
for  teams,  etc.,  for  several  miles  up  and  down  the 
river. 


Ferries  and  Docks.  255 

I  have  had  hard  work  to  trace  the  ferry  of  Samuel 
Hallock;  it  must  have  run  at  some  time  from  what  is 
now  Sand's  dock,  which  he  owned,  to  some  point  on 
the  other  side  of  the  river.  It  would  appear  that  his 
ferry  was  cotemporary  with,  at  least  a  part  of  the 
time,  Lattimer's  ferry.  There  was  considerable  travel 
across  the  river  in  early  tim-es,  as  people  from  miles 
back  in  the  country  on  either  side,  in  fact  from  the 
Connecticut  line  through  to  the  Delaware  river  on  this 
side,  crossed  here.  It  would  not  be  unreasonable  to 
suppose  that  two  ferries  were  running  here  at  the 
same  time  for  several  years. 

The  first  local  ferry  is  said  to  have  been  a  barge  or 
scow  rowed  by  slaves ;  it  carried  teams,  but  sometimes 
the  liDrses  were  tied  and  swam  behind  the  boat.  In 
March,  1849,  the  Milton  ferry  was  established  by 
Capt.  Sears ;  he  ran  it  a  couple  of  years  and  then  sold 
out  to  Capt.  Handley,  who  conducted  it  about  ten 
years.  It  was  a  boat  with  four  mules"  that  turned  a 
tread  wheel  for  the  power;  it  ran  regularly  and  was 
a  great  convenience  to  all  the  neighborhood  about 
here;  it  was  also  used  by  people  from  Plattekill, 
Gardiner  and  Shawangunk.  It  was  a  great  service  to 
the  community  and  Capt.  Handley  was  entitled  to 
much  credit.  It  was  attended  with  much  expense  and 
finally  did  not  pay  and  was  therefore  discontinued. 

By  an  act  of  the  Legislature  in  1851,  a  charter  for 
a  ferry  was  granted  to  Walter  Millard  and  Uriah 
Mills,  called  the  New  Hamburgh  and  Hampton  ferry, 
from  Millard's  dock  to  the  dock  of  Alexander  and 
William  Young,  to  keep  and  maintain  a  ferry  boat 
capable  and  sufficient  for  conveyance  of  carriages, 
horses,  cattle  and  passengers.  This  ferry  was  run 
for  a  couple  of  years,  and  then  discontinued.  Just 
to  think  of  it,  that  we  had  a  ferry  here  long  before 
there  was  one  at  Poughkeepsie,  and  people  from  there, 


256  History  of  Marlboeough, 

wishing  to  go  back  in  the  country  on  this  side  of  the 
river,  for  years  came  here  to  cross.  In  all  that  time, 
people  from  this  town  could  regularly  cross  the  river 
with  teams,  etc.,  when  the  water  was  not  too  raiigii, 
and  now  with  all  our  population  and  wealth,  we  must 
go  to  Newburgh  or  Poughkeepsie  to  get  anything 
larger  than  a  rowboat  to  carry  us  over.  After  the 
Handley  ferry  was  discontinued,  the  people  here  ob- 
tained a  charter  to  run  a  steam  ferry  across,  and  most 
l)rominent  men  here  were  the  directors,  but  nothing 
ever  came  of  it. 

About  1755  Abner  Brush  became  the  owner  of  the 
south  i)art  of  the  Barbaric  Patent  containing  about 
1,000  acres.  He  built  a  dock  or  landing  called  Brush's 
landing;  it  was  before  that  called  Nicoll's  landing, 
and  was  situated  at  what  is  now  Sand's  dock.  About 
this  time  there  was  a  landing  at  what  is  now  Hampton, 

Jacob  Wood  and  Philip  Caverly,  about  1780,  had  a 
dock  at  the  foot  of  what  is  now  Dog's  street,  and  built 
sloops  and  vessels  there. 

Lewis  DuBois  built  a  dock  at  Marlborough  almost 
as  soon  as  he  settled  there;  he  also  had  a  saw-mill, 
the  road  to  which  was  on  the  south  side  of  the  creek. 
Lewis,  Quimby  and  Townsend  had  docks  along  the 
river  which  were  reached  by  the  road  from  North- 
rip's  corner,  south  of  the  present  depot  at  Milton. 
Elijah  Lewis  kept  a  store  and  had  a  lime-kiln. 
Jacob  and  Thomas  Powell  had  the  Townsend  dock. 
In  1791  they  ran  sloops  from  there  to  New  York ;  they 
kept,  a  store  and  were  licensed  to  keep  tavern;  they 
also  had  lime-kilns.  They  remained  here  several 
years  and  then  went  to  Newburgh. 

About  1786  Benjamin  Sands  l)uilt  what  is  now  the 
Mary  Powell  landing  at  Milton;  in  1799  he  sold  to 
Isaac  Hill;  in  1809  Hill  sold  to  Wm.  Soper;  in  1836 
Soper  sold  to  Absalom  Barrett. 


The  Hudson  River.  257 

Some  time  j^revious  to  1799  Charles  Millard  had 
a  dock  at  what  is  now  the  Millard  docks  at  Marl- 
borough. The  dock  was  there  previous  to  his  time  and 
was  purchased  by  him  and  enlarged,  and  has  been 
enlarged  from  time  to  time  since,  so  that  now  it  is 
among  the  b-est  docks  along  the  river.  It  has  been  in 
the  family  for  more  than  a  hundred  years.  I  find  the 
following  in  an  ancient  paper : 

Six  thousand  boards  and  planks  for  sale  by  the  subscribers 
at  his  mill  on  Jew's  Creek  for  cash,  or  any  kind  of  country 
produce.  All  those  who  are  indebted  to  the  subscribers  for 
boards  are  requested  to  call  and  settle  their  accounts  by  the 
15th  day  of  March  next  or  they  will  be  prosecuted  without 
discrimination. 

Marlborough  Feb.  20,  1799. 

CHARLES  MILLARD. 

N.  B.  A  store  to  let  with  four  rooms  on  the  floor  and  the 
privilege  of   a    dock.  Enquire   as   above. 


The  Hudson  River. 

The  Mohegans,  or  as  sometimes  called  Hahakondas 
Indians,  who  resided  on  its  eastern  banks,  called  the 
river  Mahakeneghtue,  supposed  to  mean  ''  continu- 
ally flowing  water."  The  Mohawks  and  Algonquins 
each  had  a  separate  name  for  it.  Henry  Hudson,  its 
first  white  -explorer,  called  it  the  river  of  the  moun- 
tains, but  it  was  not  called  Hudson  until  the  English 
became  the  owners  of  the  country,  when  they  so  named 
it  in  honor  of  their  countryman,  its  first  explorer. 
Henry  Hudson,  on  September  3,  1609,  anchored  his 
vessel,  the  "  Halfmoon  "  in  what  is  now  New  York 
bay,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  12th  sailed  up  the 
river.  On  the  15tli  and  16th,  the  time  he  was  passing 
from  the  upper  highlands  past  what  is  now  Newburgh 
and  this  town,  he  says  in  his  journal: 

The  fifteentli,   in   the   morning,  was  misty  until   the  sunne 
.arose;  then  it  cleered.     So  we  weighed  with  the  wind  at  South, 
9 


258  HiSTOKY  OF  Marlborough. 

and  ran  up  tlie  riuer  twentie  leagues,  passing  by  high  moun- 
tains. AA^ee  had  a  very  good  depth,  as  six,  seuen,  eight,  nine, 
twehie,  and  tliirteen  fathoms,  and  great  store  of  salmons  in 
the  riuer.  Tliis  morning  our  two  sauages  got  out  of  a  port 
and  swam  away.  After  we  were  under  sayle  they  called  to  us 
in  scorne.  At  night  we  came  to  other  mountains  which  lie 
from  the  riuer's  side.  There  wee  fovnd  very  louing  people 
and  very  old  men;  where  we  were  well  vsed.  Our  boat  went  to 
fish,  and  caught  great  store  of  very  good  fish. 

The  sixteenth  faire,  and  very  hot  weather.  In  the  morning 
ovr  boat  went  againe  to  fishing,  but  could  catch  but  few  by 
reason  their  canoes  had  beene  there  all  night.  This  morning 
the  people  came  aboord,  and  Ijrought  vs  ears  of  Indian  corne 
and  pompions  and  tobacco,  which  wee  bought  for  trifles.  Wee 
rode  still  all  day  and  filled  fresh  water;  at  night  we  weighted 
and  went  two  leagues  higher  and  had  shoaled  water,  so  we 
anchored   till   day. 

Hudson  on  liis  return  trip  down  the  river  on  the 
twenty-ninth  and  tliirtietli  wrote  as  follows : 

The  nine-and-twentieth  was  drie,  close  weather;  the  wind  at 
south  and  south  l)y  west;  wee  weighed  early  in  the  morning, 
and  turned  down  three  leagues  by  a  lowe  water,  and  anchored 
at  the  lower  end  of  the  long  reacli,  for  it  is  six  leagues  long. 
Then  there  came  certain  Indians  in  a  canoe  to  vs,  but  would 
not  come  aboord.  After  dinner  there  came  the  canoe  with 
other  men,  whereof  three  came  aboord  us.  They  brought 
Indian  wheat,  which  we  bought  for  trifles.  At  three  of  the 
elocke  in  the  afternoon  we  weighed,  as  soon  as  the  ebbe  came, 
and  turned  downe  to  the  edge  of  the  mountaines,  or  the  norther- 
most  of  the  Mountaines,  and  anchored,  because  the  high  land 
hath  many  points,  and  a  narrow  channel,  and  hath  many  eddie 
winds.     So  we  rode  quietly  all  night  in  seuen  fathoms  water. 

The  thirtieth  was  faire  weather,  and  the  wind  at  south-east 
a  stiffe  gale  between  the  Mountaynes.  ^Ye  rode  still  the  after- 
noone.  The  people  of  the  Countrey  came  aboord  vs,  and 
brought  some  small  skinnes  with  them,  which  we  bought  for 
kniues  and  trifles.  This  a  very  pleasant  place  to  build  a  towne 
on.  The  road  is  every  neere,  and  very  good  for  all  winds,  saue 
on  east-north-east  wind.  The  Mountaynes  look  as  if  some 
metal  or  mineral  were  in  them.  For  the  trees  that  grew  on 
them  were  all  blasted,  and  some  of  them  barren,  with  few  or 
no  trees  on  them.     The  people  brought  a  stone  aboord  like  to 


Jeffrow's  Hook.  259 


emery  (a  stone  used  by  glasiers  to  cut  glasse) ;  it  woiild  cut 
iron  or  Steele.  Yet  being  bruised  small,  and  water  put  to  it, 
it  made  a  colour  like  blacke  lead  glistening;  it  is  also  good  for 
painters'  colours.  iVt  three  of  the  clocke  they  departed,  and 
we  rode  still  all  night. 

The  u  appears  in  place  of  v,  and  v  in  place  of  n. 
The  spelling,  etc.,  is  left  as  in  the  original. 

It  is  plainly  seen  by  this  journal  that  in  those  early 
times  there  were  many  Indians  about  here  and  lots 
of  fish,  notably  the  valuable  salmon.  Tradition  has 
it  that  fish,  especially  shad,  were  very  plentiful,  and 
in  the  springtime  large  numbers  of  settlers  congre- 
gated here  to  fish,  many  coming  from  long  distances 
in  the  country.  Several  men  would  drag  a  net  across 
any  cove  along  shore  and  draw  it  to  the  land  and  take 
large  numbers  of  fish.  Only  as  far  back  as  sixty  or 
seventy  years  shad  could  be  purchased  for  five  and 
six  dollars  a  hundred,  and  every  fanner  expected  to 
and  did  salt  and  lay  down  from  one  to  three  barrels  of 
shad,  which  generally  furnished  the  material  for 
supper  for  the  rest  of  the  season.  Salmon  were  very 
numerous  up  to  one  hundred  years  ago,  but  they  have 
all  now  disappeared.  It  was  said  of  the  Indians  who 
planted  their  crops  for  years  in  the  same  hill,  that 
they  fertilized  their  land  by  putting  a  fish  in  each 
hill. 


Jeffrow's  Hook, 

Jeffrow's  Hook,  now  known  as  Blue  Point,  was 
first  so  named  by  the  early  Dutch  navigators ;  it  being 
a  high  bluff  extending  into  the  river  was  an  objective 
point  and  seen  by  the  navigators  for  miles  up  and 
down  the  river,  I  first  find  the  name  recorded  in  the 
patent  of  land  granted  by  Governor  Edmond  Andros 
to  ''  Lewis  DuBois  and  partners  "  in  1677,  known  as 
the  Paltz  Patent.    The  patent  says: 


260  History  of  Marlborough. 


Whereas,  There  is  a  certain  piece  of  laud  at  Esopus  which, 
by  my  appropriation  and  consent,  has  been  acquired  from  the 
Indian  proprietors  by  Louis  Du  Bois  and  his  associates;  the 
said  land  being  situated  on  the  south  side  of  the  redoubt  called 
creek  or  kill,  being  from  (i.  e.,  beginning  at)  the  high  moun- 
tain called  Maggonck;  thence  extending  from  the  Southwest 
side,  near  the  great  river,  to  a  certain  point  or  hoqk  called  :he 
Jauffrouc  hook,  situated  along  the  tract  called  by  the  Indians 
Magaatramis,     *     *     * 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  patent  begins  at  the 
high  mountain  called  Mognnk,  and  in  order  to  pre- 
serve this  point  from  future  dispute  about  the  loca- 
tion, they  had  a  certificate  made  as  follows : 

These  are  to  certify  that  the  Inhabitants  of  the  towne  of 
New  Paltz,  being  desirous  that  the  first  station  of  their  patent, 
named  Moggonck,  might  be  kept  in  rememljrance,  did  desire 
us,  Joseph  Horsbrook,  John  IIardenl)urgh.  Roleft  Eltinge, 
Esqs.,  Justices  of  the  peace  for  the  County  of  Ulster,  to  accom- 
pany them  their,  and  their  being  Ancrop,  the  Indian,  their 
brought  us  to  the  High  Mountain,  which  he  named  Maggen- 
apogh,  at  or  near  the  foot  of  which  hill  is  a  small  run  of  water, 
and  a  swamp  which  he  called  Maggonck,  and  the  said  Indian, 
Ancrop  afirms  itt  to  be  the  right  Indian  names  of  the  saicl 
places,  as  witness  our  hands  this  nineteenth  day  of  December, 
1722. 

[Signed]         JOSEPH  HASBEOUCK. 

HAEDENBEEGH. 

EOELOFF  ELTING. 

These  were  two  prominent  points  of  the  Paltz 
Patent,  the  first  being  the  southeast  corner,  and  the 
second  the  southwest  corner.  In  ancient  surveys  a 
line  in  one  course  is  run  between  these  points.  About 
1760  Charles  Clinton  ran  this  line  and  laid  it  down 
on  a  map.  Dr.  Benjamin  Ely  of  Marlborough  in  liis 
map,  made  in  1797,  shows  this  line,  and  also  another 
line  in  one  course  from  Mogunk  (now  Paltz  Point) 
to  a  beech  stump  at  the  river;  this  is  our  north  town 
line.  The  course  is  given  on  the  map.  By  a  previous 
survey  and  map  this  point  at  the  river  is  given  as  a 


Jeffeow's  Hook.  261 


beech  tree.  Both  lines  ran  to  Paltz  Point,  but  at  th-e 
river  these  lines  were  about  a  half  a  mile  apart.  Our 
north  line  was  the  north  line  of  the  John  Barbarie 
patent,  and  the  same  line  as  from  the  point  to  the 
beech  stump. 

There  soon  arose  controversies  and  disputes  about 
the  title  to  the  land  between  these  lines.  Hugh  "Went- 
worth  in  early  times  claimed  the  lands  under  his 
patent,  and  the  Paltz  patentees  also  claimed  the  land, 
and  to  hold  this  claim  they  put  Denis  or  Denie  Relyea 
on  it.  He  built  a  small  log  house  south  of  Jetf row's 
Hook  at  a  small  run  of  water,  and  he  commenced  to 
el-ear  up  the  land  for  the  Paltz  people.  There  was 
much  litigation  about  the  land ;  I  believe  the  last  suit 
Avas  between  LeFevre  and  Ketcham  in  1794,  and  was 
against  the  Paltz  people,  though  many  were  never 
satisfied  that  this  decision  was  correct.  Dr.  Ely  gives 
both  of  these  lines,-  and  recognizes  the  north  line  and 
Jeff  row's  Hook  as  the  correct  line  and  point.  He  had 
lived  within  a  few  miles  of  it  all  his  life,  had  surveyed 
the  surrounding  lands  for  years,  and  ran  all  the  lines 
given  on  his  map.  No  one  was  better  able  to  deter- 
mine the  locations  and  there  is  very  little  doubt  but 
that  he  was  right.  Dr.  Ely  is  thought  to  have  been  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolution ;  he  practiced  medicine  from 
the  close  of  the  war,  all  through  this  town  and  Lloyd, 
then  the  east  part  of  New  Paltz,  up  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  about  1820.  He  was,  I  believe,  the  largest  slave 
holder  in  the  town.  He  served  for  years  as  Commis- 
sioner of  Highways,  Justice  of  the  Peace,  Town  Clerk, 
and  as  Supervisor,  longer  than  any  other  person  in 
the  town.  He  was  the  principal  man  about  the  town 
in  his  day. 

Th-e  Denie  Relyea  spoken  of,  according  to  tradition, 
was  the  son  of  Denis  Relje  (Relyea)  whom  Capt.  John 
Evans,  in  1694  or  1695  located  on  his  patent  at  tlie 
Old  Man's  Kill  at  Marlborough. 


262  History  of  Marlborough. 

In  1750  George  Harrison  obtained  a  patent  for 
2,000  acres.  It  was  in  three  lots:  The  first  lot  was 
entirely  in  the  town  of  Marlborough,  and  the  second 
also  in  the  town  except  that  it  passed  beyond  what  is 
now  the  town  line  to  the  other  line,  and  is  described 
as  follows : 

Beginning  at  the  southwest  corner  of  the  lands  granted  to 
Jolm  Barbarie  and  runs  thenee  along  his  west  bounds  and  to 
a  straight  line  which  runs  from  the  point  in  the  High  Hills 
on  the  west  side  of  the  Paltz  Eiver  now  commonly  called  and 
known  by  the  name  of  the  Paltz  point  to  a  point  on  the  west 
side  of  Hudson  River  commonly  called  and  knowTi  by  the  name 
of  Jeffrow's  hook  or  point,  Xorth  22  degrees,  East  176  chains 
and  30  links,  then  along  the  aforesaid  line  from  the  said  Paltz 
point  to  the  said  Jeffrow's  point  or  hook,     *     *     * 

Paltz  point  is  here  named,  which  is  the  first  place 
I  find  it.  This  matter  is  here  spoken  of  more  par- 
ticularly as  it  has  been  a  matter  of  so  much  contro- 
versy and  uncertainty.  It  is  now  being  written  about 
in  the  public  press,  and  it  is  well  to  give  what  informa- 
tion we  have  about  it. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Facts  and  Incidents. 

Nathaniel  Adams  built  a  brickyard  at  Marlborough 
at  the  Young  place,  about  1825.  It  was  carried  on 
for  several  years,  when  the  clay  becoming  poor  or 
scarce  it  was  discontinued.  The  lands  were  after- 
ward sold  to  William  C.  Young,  and  he  later  leveled 
the  sand  bank  on  the  property  to  the  north  of  Landing 
street.  It  used  to  run  steep  all  the  way  to  the  dock. 
He  built  Young's  dock  and  certainly  made  great 
improvements  about  there.  About  the  same  time  or 
soon  after  the  yard  spoken  of  above  was  in  existence. 
Young  &  Moore  established  a  yard  at  the  river  at  the 
Ackerly  place.  There  were  quite  a  number  of  men 
employed  here,  and  it  was  said  the  vote  of  the  town 
was  very  much  increased  thereby,  but  like  the  first, 
in  a  few  years  it  ceased  to  exist.  These  and  the  Hal- 
lock  yard  were  the  only  brickyards  of  wliicli  I  can 
find  any  record. 

One  hundred  years  ago  wolves  were  quite  plentiful. 
They  had  a  run  or  crossing  place  from  across  the  river 
in  the  winter  east  of  the  Mansion  House,  now  Wilmot 
place,  to  the  moimtains.  They  were  often  seen  cross- 
ing the  post  road,  wher-e  they  sometimes  attacked 
people,  but  always  avoided  the  clearings. 

To  be  sure  the  black  bear  was  not  then  extinct,  and 
was  frequently  caught;  and  such  places  used  to  be 
pointed  out. 

Pigeons  were  then  in  great  abundance,  but  they 
only  came  at  stated  times  —  did  not  nest  here.  Flocks 
of  thousands  would  come  together,  and  when  they 
alighted  or  roosted  they  would  get  in  such  numbers 
on  the  trees  as  to  break  great  limbs  with  their  weight. 
They  were  caught  by  thousands  in  nets,  and  also  were 


264  History  of  Marlborough. 

shot  in  great  numbers.  In  fact  at  sucli  times  so  many 
were  taken  that  all  could  not  be  used  for  food,  and 
were  fed  to  the  hogs  in  large  quantities.  They  are 
about  extinct  here  now  —  very  seldom  one  is  to  be 
seen. 

Lewis  DuBois,  son  of  the  major,  advertised  his  full- 
ing mill,  August  6,  1810,  in  the  Newburgh  Political 
Index  as  follows: 

A  Clothier  wanted  at  the  mill  of  the  subscribers;  oue  who 
can  come  well  recommended,  either  on  shares  or  otherwise; 
The  stand  is  one  of  the  best  in  the  country,  it  being  ten  miles 
distant  from  any  other  fulling  mill. 

The  mill  is  now  calculated  for  carding  also. 

LEWIS  Dubois. 

The  clothier  secured  could  not  have  been  satis- 
factory, for  on  February  4,  1811,  appears  the  follow- 
ing notice : 

Dissolution:  the  public  is  informed  that  the  partnership  of 
Lewis  DuBois  and  Nathan  Tupper,  in  the  Clothier's  business 
was  disolved  on  the  first  of  December  last. 

LEWIS  Dubois. 

■  The  first  regular  stage  route  on  the  east  side  of 
the  river  between  New  York  and  Albany  was  estab- 
lished in  1785.  Our  people  here  crossed  the  river  and 
took  this  route  when  they  had  occasion.  At  this  time, 
in  the  winter  they  had  no  other  way,  as  it  was  not 
until  many  years  after  that  that  a  route  was  estab- 
lished on  the  west  side. 

In  1815  and  1820  Marlborough  letters  were  adver- 
tised at  the  Kingston  post-office,  to  be  called  for,  and 
were  perhaps  so  advertised  for  some  years  previous. 
To  show  the  great  want  of  postal  facilities,  the  fol- 
lowing extracts  are  taken  from  a  paper  called  the 
Ulster  Plebeian  of  March  28,  1815.  It  will  also  show 
how  hard  the  printer  had  to  work  for  a  little  money: 


Facts  and  Incidents.  265 

For  various  imperious  reasons,  we  have  concluded  to  stop 
the  circulation  of  the  Plebeian,  after  the  present  week,  through 
the  towns  of  Hurley,  Marbletown,  Eochester.  "Wawarsing, 
Mamakating,  Shawangunk,  Plattekill,  Marlborough,  New 
Paltz  and  Esopus,  by  a  Post  rider  employed  as  heretofore  at 
the  expense  of  this  office.  As  we  wish  the  papers  to  be  read 
throughout  our  own  County,  and  also  in  Sullivan,  especially 
as  long  as  the  two  Counties  are  identified  in  interest  in  the 
elective  franchise,  we  take  the  liberty  to  recommend  to  our 
Patrons  in  those  places  to  form  clubs  where  practicable,  to 
procure  the  papers  either  from  the  office  or  the  nearest  Post- 
office.  The  greatest  number  of  papers  we  circulate  on  the 
above  mentioned  route,  are  between  this  village  and  William 
Sypher's  in  AYawarsing;  a  distance  of  about  thirty  miles;  in 
the  whole  of  which  extent  there  is  no  Post  Office.  Mr.  Snyder 
lives  about  twelve  miles  from  the  Post  office  in  Bloomingburgh 
Sullivan  County.  We  therefore  presume  that  a  number  of  our 
Patrons  south  of  Mr.  Sypher's  and  in  Sullivan  may  conveniently 
get  the  papers  at  that  office.  He  states  in  his  notice  that 
Shawangunk  and  New  Paltz  had  Post-offices,  and  that  Esopus 
had  formed  a  club  to  get  the  papers  from  the  newspaper  office. 
He  is  worried  that  he  does  not  know  how  to  accommodate 
Plattekill  and  ]\Iiarlborough  which  he  says  have  no  Post-offices. 
Continuing  his  notice,  he  says :  The  fact  is  we  have  paid  at 
the  rate  of  $182  per  annum  for  carrying  175  Plebeians  on  that 
route,  when  better  than  two  thirds  of  those  papers  were  left 
between  this  and  Mr.  Sypher's,  from  whence  our  Post  has 
usually  gone  to  Bloomingi)urgh,  Shawangunk,  Plattekill,  Marl- 
borough, New  Paltz  and  Esopus  an  extent  of  120  miles  taking 
four  days  to  perform  the  tour.  We  are  constrained  to  declare 
that  we  cannot  afford  the  incidental  expenses  of  that  post 
rider.     *     *     * 

(Signed)  JOHN  TAPPEN. 

His  statement  appears  very  reasonable.  The  sub- 
scription price  of  bis  paper  was  two  dollars  a  year, 
and  he  was  paying  out  more  than  one-half  of  what  he 
received  in  distributing  the  paper.  But  it  was  quite 
an  event  when  the  post  rider  arrived  with  the  papers. 
The  people  along  the  route  were  expecting  him,  and 
turned  out  to  meet  him.  He  was  always  welcome  at 
the  farm  houses,  and  himself  and  horse  were  taken 


266  HiSTOEY  OF  Marlborough. 

care  of  free  of  charge.  He  was  treated  more  like  a 
visitor;  Ire  not  only  left  the  paper  at  the  houses,  but  he 
rehearsed  to  them  all  the  news  that  he  had  heard  on 
the  journey.  At  the  same  time,  he  picked  up  such 
items  of  interest  as  came  to  his  notice  to  be  included  in 
the  next  issue  of  the  paper.  It  must  have  been  a 
long  and  tedious  journey  through  the  snows  and 
storms  of  winter,  but  people  expected  such  things 
then,  and  it  was  taken  as  a  matter  of  course. 

The  Ulster  Gazette  commenced  publication  at  King- 
ston in  1798.  Samuel  Freer  and  liis  son  published 
the  paper.  Freer  used  to  deliver  his  paper  in  the 
same  way  as  the  Plebeian  did.  When  I  was  a  small 
child  I  heard  my  grandfather  tell  of  it.  In  the  year 
1800,  when  General  Washington  died,  the  paper  came 
out  in  deep  mourning  for  him,  and  as  Freer  delivered 
his  paper  along  the  route,  it  produced  much  consterna- 
tion and  sorrow  among  all  the  people.  My  grand- 
father always  saved  his  copy  of  the  paper  and  it  is 
still  preserved  in  the  family.  Freer  used  to  get  his 
paper  ready,  printing,  etc.,  during  the  forepart  of  the 
week,  and  on  Thursday  morning  of  each  week,  he 
would  till  his  saddlebags  with  the  Gazette  for  dis- 
tribution to  the  subscribers.  And  Uncle  Sam,  as  he 
was  called,  would  mount  his  steed  and  start  out  to 
spend  the  rest  of  the  week  through  Ulster,  Orange  and 
Sullivan  counties.  He  was  a  strong  Federalist,  and 
at  the  stores  and  blacksmith  shops  and  other  public 
places  along  the  way,  and  at  the  family  firesides,  he 
would  preach  his  political  doctrines,  try  to  make  con- 
verts, and  carry  on  heated  arguments  with  his  political 
opponents. 

The  recent  sale  of  the  Young  farm  of  about  300 
acres  with  some  personal  property  for  $31,500,  which 
is  now  considered  a  good  sale,  is  surpassed  by  the 
sale  of  Charles  Brown  to  Benjamin  Harcourt  in  1828 
in  Lattintown.     The  place  consisted  of  407  acres  and 


Facts  and  Incidents.  267 


sold  for  $10,000.     Ten  thousand  dollars  then  repre- 
sented more  than  $30,000  does  now. 

John  W.  Wygant  sold  to  William  D,  Wygant  the 
Bloomer  farm,  Lattintown,  in  1831,  for  $4,000  —  79 
acres.  In  1838  Wygant  sold  the  same  place  to  Thomas 
D.'  Bloomer  for  $6,000,  showing  a  large  increase  in 
valne,  and  a  very  high  price  for  land,  and  in  com- 
paring with  present  values  of  money,  the  place  at  that 
rate  should  be  worth  $12,000  or  $15,000  now. 

In  1808  William  B.  Woolsey  sold  116  acres  of  land, 
which  is  now  owned  by  Fred  W.  Vail,  to  Latting 
Caverly  for  $3,750.  Numerous  other  sales  might  be 
mentioned,  showing  that  land  in  those  times  was  sell- 
ing very  high;  in  fact,  far  in  excess,  value  of  money 
being  considered,  of  what  land  is  sold  for  now.  Land, 
to  be  sure,  was  then  used  only  for  the  raising  of  or- 
dinary farm  crops,  horses,  cattle,  etc. 

From  the  earliest  liistory  of  the  town  the  only  com- 
munication between  here  and  New  York  city  was  by 
sailing  vessels;  the  principal  i^art  of  the  vessel  was 
used  for  freight,  and  the  cabin  and  stern  were  fitted 
up  with  a  number  of  berths  to  accommodate  passen- 
gers. They  carried  from  ten  to  thirty  passengers, 
and  it  was  a  voyage  of  generally  two  or  three  days, 
and  as  many  nights.  Those  wishing  to  take  the  trip 
sought  to  have  a  congenial  company  with  them,  and 
they  played  games  and  had  a  good  time.  When  the 
sloop  anchored  on  account  of  adverse  winds  or  other- 
wise th-e  passengers  would  land  and  gather  berries 
and  fruit,  and  wander  about  the  woods  and  villages. 
When  the  captain  was  ready  to  proceed  on  the  voyage, 
he  summoned  them  by  blowing  a  horn.  Those  who 
wished  could  board  at  the  captain's  table  by  paying 
for  their  meals,  but  it  was  the  custom  to  take  along 
a  large  wooden  trunk  filled  with  cooked  victuals  and 
luxuries  of  the  times,  and  a  supply  of  rum  or  Holland 
gin  was  seldom  forgotten.     They  all  planned  to  have 


268  History  of  Marlborough. 

a  good  time  and  it  was  quite  an  event,  as  people 
s-eldom  had  more  than  one  trip  during  the  year.  It 
was  considered  in  the  nature  of  an  outing  or  what  we 
would  call  such  now.  On  the  return  trip  the  chest 
was  used  to  bring  back  the  purchases.  These  sloops 
would  stop  anywhere  along  the  river  on  signal  aild 
take  on  passengers.  You  could  hail  one  almost  any 
time  of  the  day,  as  they  were  quite  numerous.  They 
continued  to  carry  more  or  less  passengers  up  to 
1820,  or  until  after  the  fare  on  the  steamboats  became 
moderate. 


The  Maid  of  Marlboro'. 

By  Samuel   A.   Barrett. 
"  Perfection   whispered,    passing   by. 

Behold  the  lass  of  Ballocliniyle.'' — Burns. 

I  saw  thee  once  —  and  never 

Can  I  forget  thy  form; 
'Twas  lovely  as  the  sunbeam 

That  flashes  thro'  a  storm ! 

And,  thro'  their  silken  lashes. 

Those  soul-lit  eyes  of  thine, 
Shone    brighter    than    twin-diamonds 

From  India's  famous  mine. 

Thy  hair,  in  raven  streamers, 

Flow'd  o'er  a  neck  of  snow, 
As  conscious  of  its  beauty  — 

Fair  Maid  of  Marlboro'. 

I  saw  thee  when  the  sunlight 

Was  fading  in  the  sky. 
And  thou  wert  standing  lonely, 

The  lovely  Hudson  by. 

'Twas  beautiful  around  thee, 

Above  thee  and  below; 
But  thou  hadst  more  of  beaut}', 

Fair  Maid  of  Marlboro'. 


Smith's  Falls. 


The  Maid  of  M.ielboro',  269 

And  in  that  mighty  mirror, 

Which  lay  like  molten  gold, 
Thou  could'st  have  seen  reflected 

Thy  form  of  matchless  monld. 

The  birds  ancar  thee  singing, 

The  waters,  mnrm'ring  low, 
Seem'd  making  music  for  thee. 

Fair  Maid  of  Marlboro'. 

And  thon.  in  silence  standing 

Upon  that  lonely  strand, 
Hadst  seem'd  to  poet's  vision, 

The  Queen  of  Fairy  Land  — 

Save  that,  in  beauteous  blushes, 

The  rose  of  earth  was  seen; 
And  thy  voluptuous  bosom 

Beat,  'neath  its  silken  screen. 

Oft  when  at  evening  straying 

Along  that  lonely  shore, 
I  gaze  where  once  I  saw  thee, 

But  see  thee  there  no  more. 

Lost  Pleiad  of  my  fancy ! 

None  e'er  can  fill  thy  place: 
Earth  holds  no  being  like  thee. 

In  soul,  and  form,  and  face. 

And  yet.  thy  peerless  beauty 

May  prove  a  ban  to  thee ! 
Beware  man's  siren  speeches. 

And  man's  inconstancy ! 

And  may  the  years,  revolving. 

Bring  naught  to  thee  of  woe : 
Earth's  blessings  all  be  with  thee, 

Fair  Maid  of  Marlboro' ! 

Among  the  men  of  special  prominence  wbicli  tlio 
Town  of  Marlborough  produced,  or  who  were  identi- 
fied with  the  interests  of  the  town,  we  mention  the 
following: 


270  History  of  Marlborough. 

Ebenezer  Foot,  Member  of  Assembly,  1792,  1794, 
1796,  1797. 

Ebenezer  Foot,  Senator,  1798-1802,  inclusive,  and 
also  one  of  the  State  Council  of  Appointment,  1804. 

Selah  Tuthill,  Member  of  Assembly,  1804. 

William  Soper,  one  of  the  Judges  of  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas,  1810-1813  and  afterward. 

Nehemiali  L.  Smith,  Member  of  Assembly,  1811. 

David  Staples,  Member  of  Ass-embly,  1814,  1818, 
and  one  of  the  Judges  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas 
for  several  years. 

Richard  I.  Woolsey,  Associate  Justice  of  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas,  1817. 

Abram  D.  Soper,  Member  of  Assembly,  1829.  Also 
County  Judge  from  1828  to  1836. 

William  Soper,  Member  of  Assembly,  1843. 

L.  Harrison  Smith,  Member  of  Assembly,  1853. 

Jeremiah  Clark,  Member  of  Assembly,  1860. 

C.  M.  Woolsey,  Member  of  Assembly,  1871,  1872, 
and  Justice  of  Sessions,  1866,  1867. 

E.  F.  Patten,  Member  of  Assembly,  1881. 

Sands  Haviland,  Member  of  Assembly,  1901. 

Benjamin  Harcourt,  Sheriff,  1832. 

Samuel  Stilwell,  Associate  Justice  of  Ulster  County 
Court  for  two  terms  of  five  years  each. 


Hallock's  Ponds  and  Other  Ponds  and  Lakes  op  the 

Town. 

There  is  a  chain  of  five  ponds  at  Milton,  each  con- 
taining several  acres ;  one  on  the  east  side  of  the  post 
road,  and  four  on  the  west  side,  at  the  Hallock  mills. 
These  are  beautiful  sheets  of  water  and  furnish  power 
to  several  mills;  their  capacity  can  easily  be  doubled, 
in  fact  there  can  be  a  continuous  line  of  ponds  for 
two  or  three  miles.    These  ponds  are  noted  for  their 


Hallock's  Ponds  and  Lakes.  271 

iine  fishing,  and  peoj^le  come  long  distances  to  fish,  in 
them ;  they  are  especially  valued  for  their  black  bass. 
The  ponds  ar-e  fed  by  many  springs  and  the  waters 
are  particularly  clear  and  pure. 

The  surrounding  lands  afford  much  natural  beauty. 
They  are  mostly  rugged  and  rocky  hills  covered  with 
beautiful  forests,  and  their  convenience  to  the  depot 
and  steamboat  landings  make  them  desirable  as 
places  of  residence  and  country  seats  and  hotels.  If 
this  section  were  generally  known  to  the  city  people, 
it  would  become  a  great  center  of  attraction.  No 
more  beautiful  landscape  and  surroundings  can  be 
found  anywhere  along  the  Hudson. 

Some  of  these  ponds  are  very  ancient;  the  George 
Hallock  pond  and  also  the  pond  at  the  south  and  the 
west  of  long  pond  were  in  existence  prior  to  the  Revo- 
lution, and  there  was  a  grist  and  sawmill  at  each 
where  neighbors  congregated  and  discussed  politics 
and  the  events  of  the  day. 

About  the  year  1850  Charles  Brower  and  Lee 
Ensign  started  a  brickyard  at  the  river  where  the 
Milton  depot  is  now,  and  afterward  Joseph  Hallock 
took  Brower 's  place.  They  obtained  their  clay  from 
the  bottom  of  the  George  Hallock  pond.  They 
drained  out  that  part  of  the  pond  by  means  of  pipes 
under  the  ground  and  drew  their  clay  from  the  pond 
past  what  is  now  the  Robert  Hallock  Mill  and  down 
the  Hallock  road  to  the  river.  They  manufactured  a 
good  quality  of  brick,  but  the  expense  of  procuring 
their  sand  made  the  venture  a  failure.  The  clay  in 
time  will  find  ready  purchasers. 

The  close  proximity  of  these  ponds  to  the  village 
has  always  made  them  a  great  resort  for  the  young 
people  to  skate,  and  they  afford  ice  for  all  the  sur- 
rounding country.  The  Long  Pond  is  situated  at  such 
an  elevation  as  to  supply  the  village  with  water,  if 
water  works  were  erected.     The  stream  uniting  all 


272  History  of  Marlborough. 

these  ponds  was  known  in  old  times  as  the  Hallock 
brook,  and  along  this  stream  many  Indian  relics,  snch 
as  stone  clubs  or  pestles,  stone  hatchets  and  flint 
arrowheads  have  been  found,  especially  in  the  swamp 
and  Wood  of  C.  M.  Woolsey,  who  has  a  collection  of 
the  same. 

There  is  also  a  small  lake  or  natural  pond  back  of 
Lattintown  on  the  mountain,  known  as  the  Connor 
pond.  It  is  well  stocked  with  fish,  and  is  so  situated 
that  it  can  be  used  to  irrigate  the  valley  below.  The 
view  from  this  place  extends  over  the  whole  of  Lattin- 
town valley,  and  far  to  the  south.  It  is  one  of  the 
finest  views  in  the  whole  town  —  an  elegant  place  for 
a  club  or  boarding-house  and  for  fishing  and  hunting. 

Three  miles  back  of  Milton  is  Mackey's  small  lake 
or  natural  pond;  a  nice  sheet  of  water  always  of  the 
same  level.  There  was  a  sawmill  at  the  mouth  of  it 
in  ancient  times. 

On  the  Old  Man's  Kill  at  Marlborough  is  the 
Wright,  Graves,  and  the  Clark,  now  Gaede,  ponds. 
These  have  been  built  many  years  and  have  supplied 
water  for  many  mills  at  different  times.  There  was 
a  mill  about  1750  at  the  Clark  pond,  and  there  was  a 
mill  there  always  until  recent  years.  This  was  quite 
an  important  center,  and  people  came  long  distances 
to  have  work  done.  Purdy  also  had  a  tavern  and 
some  of  the  first  town  meetings  were  held  here,  and 
during  the  war  it  was  a  center  for  the  people  to  con- 
gregate and  get  the  news.  Joseph  Graves  for  many 
years  had  an  extensive  dye  works  at  his  place,  and 
Jerry  Clark,  Ijelow  him,  a  sawmill.  The  pond  now 
known  as  the  Wright  Pond  supplied  the  water  for  the 
early  mills  of  that  part  of  the  town.  Lewis  DuBois 
had  a  grist  and  fulling  mill  there,  and  afterward 
were  many  mills,  among  them  Woolsey  Wright's,  who 
carried  on  milling  for  years.  These  ponds  are  along 
the  Old  Man's  Kill,  the  longest  stream  in  the  town, 
and  its  course  is  such  that  by  a  series  of  dams  water 


List  of  Supervisors.  273 

can  be  held  back  for  several  miles  and  a  never-fail- 
ing supply  obtained,  making  the  facilities  for  factories 
and  milling  unexcelled.  It  is  a  charming  country 
about  these  ponds  and  streams  and  its  nearness  to 
river  and  railroad  makes  it  a  place  of  much  attrac- 
tion for  residences,  boarding-houses,  etc. 

On  Jew's  creek  there  were  formerly  several  ponds, 
but  they  have  now  mostly  disappeared.  The  Buckley 
pond  was  a  noted  place  in  its  day  and  the  Buckleys 
carried  on  an  extensive  business  making  cloth  for 
years,  yet  the  stream  is  still  susceptible  of  much 
water  power,  and  the  water  can  be  easily  stored.  The 
lands  along  the  stream  are  very  pretty  and  romantic 
and  desirable  factory  sites  and  places  of  residence 
can  be  obtained.  Before  Gomez  the  Jew  owned  lands 
here  the  stream  was  called  the  south  branch  of  the 
Old  Man's  Kill. 

The  Patchen  lake  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  town 
is  the  largest  body  of  water;  it  covers  several  acres, 
and  it  can  be  enlarged.    It  is  well  stocked  with  fish. 


List  of  Supervisors. 

The  list  of  supervisors  and  town  officers  of  the  old 
precinct  of  Highland,  of  which  this  town  was  a  part, 
cannot  be  found.  In  1763  the  precinct  of  Newburgh 
was  formed,  of  which  we  were  a  part,  and  we  re- 
mained in  that  condition  until  1772,  when  we  were 
separated  from  Newburgh.  The  supervisors  during 
that  tim-e  were  as  follows : 

In  1763,  Capt.  Jonathan  Hasbrouck;  1764,  Lewis 
DuBois;  1765,  John  Wandal;  1766,  Benjamin  Carpen- 
ter; 1767,  Lewis  DuBois;  1768,  Edward  Hallock;  1769, 
'70  and  '71  ,  Latting  Carpenter. 

Commencing  at  1772,  as  the  precinct  of  New  Marl- 
borough the  supervisors  were  as  follows: 


274  History  of  Maelborough. 

In  1772-1773,  Lewis  DuBois  (3  years  missing,  but 
are  supposed  to  be  Lewis  DuBois  and  Benjamin  Car- 
penter) ;  1777,  Benjamin  Carpenter;  1778,  1779,  Elijah 
Lewis;  1780,  Anning  Smith;  1781,  Lewis  DuBois;  1782, 
Stephen  Case;  1783-1789,  Anning  Smith;  1790-1794, 
Ebenezer    Foote;    1795-1797,    Stephen    Nottingham; 
1798-1799,    CorneUus   Drake;     1800-1811,     Benjamin 
Ely;    1812-1816,    Nehemiah    L.    Smith;    1817,    David 
Staples;  1818-1819,  Eichard  I.  "Woolsey;  1820-1822, 
William   Soper;    1823,    Benjamin    Townsend;    1824, 
William    Soper;    1825,    William    Gedney;    1826-1829, 
Benjamin  Harcourt;   1830,   Jesse    T.    Conklin;   1831, 
Benjamin  Harcourt;  1832-1833,  Abraham  B.  Soper; 
1834-1835,  William  D.  Wygant;  1836-1837,  Miles  J. 
Fletcher;  1838,  William  Soper;  1839,  William  Soper, 
Jr.;    1840,    Lewis   W.   Young;   1841-1842,   Robert    S. 
Lockwood;   1843,  David  Fowler;  1844-1845,  William 
Martin;  1846,  John  D;  Crook;  1847,  Cornelius  Carpen- 
ter;  1848,   John   D.   Crook;   1849-1850,   Lee  Ensign; 
1851,  John  D.  Crook;  1852-1853,  William  H.  Gedney; 
1854,  James  C  Harcourt;  1855,  William  H.  Gedney; 
1856,  Thomas  D.  Bloomer;  1857,  William  H.  Gedney; 
1858,  David  W.  Woolsey;  1859-1861,  William  B.  Pier- 
son;   1862,   Jesse  Lj^ons;   1863,   James   C   Harcourt; 
1864-1871,  Jesse  Lyons;  1872-1873,  William  Bloomer; 
1874,   William  H.    Gedney;   1875,   William   Bloomer; 
1876,  Townsend  H.  Sherman;  1877,  Eugene  F.  Pat- 
ten; 1878,  Townsend  H.  Sherman;  1879,  Eugen-e  F. 
Patten;    1880-1881,    James    C   Harcourt;   1882-1884, 
C.  Meech  Woolsey;  1885,  Samuel  L.  Quimby;  1886- 
1890,  C  Meech  Woolsey;  1891,  Townsend  Sherman; 
1892,  William  S.  Ransley;  1893-1897,  Eugene  F.  Pat- 
ten; 1898-1899,  Sands  Haviland;  1900-1901,  William 
Bloomer;     1902-1903,    Eldorus    Dayton;     1904-1905, 
Eugene   F.   Patten;   1906-1909,   Edward  Young.     In 
1831  Harcourt  was  elected  Sheriff.     He  resigned  as 


Town  Cleeks.  275 


Supervisor,  and  at  a  si3ecial  town  meeting  Robert  S. 
Jjockwood  was  chosen  to  succeed  liini. 


Town  Clerks. 

1763-1765,  Samuel  Sands;  1766,  Joseph  Sands; 
1767-1771,  Leonard  Smith;  1772-1776,  Abijah  Per- 
kins; 1777,  Benjamin  Carpenter;  1778-1783,  Stephen 
Case;  1781-1790,  Benjamin  Ely;  1791-1792,  Benjamin 
Townsend;  1793-1794,  David  Merritt;  1795-1797, 
John  Duffield;  1798,  Samuel  Drake;  1799-1809,  Ben- 
jamin Townsend;  1810,  John  Caverly;  1811-1822,  Ben- 
jamin Townsend;  1823,  Charles  braft;  182-1-1829, 
Lewis  Wygant;  1830-1833,  William  D.  "Wygant;  1831, 
Benjamin  Townsend;  1835,  David  W.  Woolsey;  1836, 
Josiah  Lockwood;  1837,  John  Woolsey;  1838,  Marcue 
Dougherty;  1839,  James  C.  Hareourt;  1840,  Hezekiah 
Hull;  1841-1842,  Asa  T.  Wright;  1843,  Richard  Gee; 
1844-1845,  Robert  P.  Mapes;  1846-1847,  Richard  Gee; 
1848,  Jeremiah  Thome;  1849,  Henry  H.  Holden;  1850, 
Fletcher  DuBois;  1851,  David  Sands,  Jr.;  1852-1853, 
Henry  Merritt ;  1854,  Jacob  Rawley,  Jr. ;  1855,  Harvey 
Wygant;  1856,  James  A.  Townsend;  1857,  Eugene 
Dubois;  1858-1859,  Joseph  M.  Bloom;  1860,  Theodore 
Quick;  1861,  Epenetus  K.  Woolsey;  1862,  Joseph  M. 
Bloom;  1863,  James  C.  Craft;  1864,  Robert  J.  Dickey; 
1865,  James  Crook ;  1866,  John  B.  Quick ;  1867,  James 
H.  Crook;  1868,  Ethan  Parrott;  1869,  Dallas  DuBois; 
1870-1871,  James  H.  Crook;  1872-1873,  Robert  B. 
Kelley;  1874-1875,  J.  Wesley  Williams;  1876-1878, 
M.  W.  V.  Morgan;  1879,  Fred  H.  Smith;  1880,  James 
S.  Carpenter;  1881,  Harrison  Baxter;  1882-1883,  Ed- 
ward Anderson;  1881^1891,  Charles  W.  Jackson; 
1892,  George  Badner;  1893-1895,  J.  R.  Woolsey; 
1896-1900,  Elmer  E.  Berean;  1901-1907,  A.  J.  Booth; 
1908-1909,  Elbert  Warren.  In  1831  no  one  was 
elected  Town  Clerk,  but  William  D.  Wygant,  the  clerk 
of  the  year  previous,  held  over. 


276  History  of  Marlborough. 


Justices  of  the  Peace. 

Pre\aoiis  to  1830  Justices  of  the  Peace  were  ap- 
pointed by  the  governors  or  by  the  council  of  appoint- 
ment, and  after  1830  they  are  as  follows: 

3830,  Gabriel  Merritt;  1831,   Samuel  Beebe;  1832, 
David  W.  Woolsey;  1833,  Abraham  D.  Soper;  1834, 
Gabriel   Merritt;   1835,   James   Fowler,   Jr.,   William 
Soper  Jr.;  1836,  David  W.  Woolsey;  1837,  William 
Soper;   1838,   Gabriel   Merritt;   1839,   James   Fowler; 
1840,    Josiah   ^Y.    Carpenter;    1841,    William    Soper; 
1842,  David  W.  Woolsey;  1843,  James  Fowler;  1844, 
Asa   T.  Wright;   1845,   Charles   L.   Lockwood;   1846, 
Isaac   Staples;   1847,  AVilliam  Martin;   1848,  Asa  T. 
Wright,   James    Fowler.    Gilbert    F.    Malcolm;   1849, 
James   Fowler;    1850,   Isaac   Staples,   Daniel   Lewis; 
1851,  William  Soper;  1852,  Thomas  Bingham,  Daniel 
L-ewis;    1853,    John    Woolsey,    Edward    Near;    1854, 
Isaac  Staples,  Jr. ;  1855,  Edward  Near ;  1856,  Thomas 
Bingham ;  1857,  John  F.  Wliitney,  Isaac  Staples,  Fred- 
erick S.  Webster;  1859,  John  B.  Ball;  1860,  Thomas 
Bingham,   Walter   Farrington;   1861,   Edward   Near; 
1862,  Isaac  Staples;  1863,  Frederick  S.  Webster;  1864, 
Charles  G.  Merritt;  1865,  Samuel  A.  Barrett;  1866, 
Eli    T.    Lockwood,    C.    Meech    Woolsey,    Charles    F. 
Willard;  1867,  Edgar  W.  Clark;  1868," David  Sands; 
1869,    C.    Meech   Woolsey;    1870,    James    S.    Knapp, 
Samuel  A.  Barrett;  1871,  A.  J.  M.  Smith;  1872,  Enoch 
Baxter,    E.    Melville    Craft;    1873,    C.    Meech   Wool- 
sey;   1874,    Oscar   B.   Bloomer;    1875,   E.    M.    Craft; 
1876,  Henry  Merritt;  1877,  C.  Meech  Woolsey;  1879, 
E.  Melville  Craft;  1880,  Enoch  Baxter;  1881,  C.  M. 
Woolsey;  1882,  William  J.  Purdy;  1883,  C.  Sylvester 
Northrip;  1884,  Enoch  Baxter;  1885,  Williain  S.  Rans- 
ley;  1886,  Albert  H.  Palmer;  1887,  Albert  Pattison; 
1888,  E.  Dayton;  1889,  C.  G.  Mackey ;  1890,  John  Eusk, 
Jr.;  1891,  Fred  H.  Smith;  1892,  Clarence  Bingham; 


Justices  of  the  Peace.  277 


1893,  C.  S.  Northrip;  1894,  John  Eusk,  Jr.;  1895,  Fred 
H.  Smith;  1896,  CLarence  Bingham;  1897,  C.  S.  North- 
rip  ;  1898,  John  Rusk,  Jr. ;  1899,  Charles  Purdy,  Fred 
H,  Smith;  1901,  John  linsk,  Jr.,  Joseph  J.  Kaley; 
1903,  Charles  Purdy,  Fred  H.  Smith;  1905,  J.  J.  Kaley, 
John  B.  Ball ;  1905,  John  Rusk,  resigned,  and  Charles 
Baiklon  appointed ;  1907,  George  Young,  Charles  P. 
Thorne. 

In  ancient  times,  under  the  Crown,  and  afterward 
under  the  State  government,  the  Governor  or  coun- 
cil of  appointment  or  both  selected  or  appointed  the 
Justices  of  the  Peace  up  to  the  year  1830.  The  old 
commissions  of  appointment  were  very  lengthy  docu- 
ments, and  not  only  appointed  the  justice  to  the  office 
but  gave  him  a  long  charge  and  statement  of  instiiic- 
tions  of  what  he  was  required  to  do.  They  are  quite 
a  curiosity  in  their  way,  and  the  following  is  a  brief 
extract  of  one  of  such  commissions  issued  in  1795  : 

Know  ye  That  we  have  appointed  and  assigned:  and  by 
these  presents  do  appoint  and  assign,  j-ou  and  every  one  of  yon 
jointly  and  severally  Justices  to  keep  the  peace  of  our  county 
■of  Ulster  and  to  keep  and  cause  to  be  kept,  all  laws  and  ordi- 
nances made  or  to  be  made,  for  tlie  good  of  the  peace,  and  for 
the  conservation  of  the  same,  and  for  the  quiet  rule  and  govern- 
ment of  the  citizens  and  inhabitants  of  our  said  state,  in  all 
and  every  the  Articles  thereof  in  our  said  county  *  *  * 
and  to  chastise  and  punish  all  persons  offending  against  the 
form  of  those  laws,  ordinances  *  *  *  and  to  cause  to  come 
before  you  all  those  persons  who  shall  break  the  peace  or  have 
used  or  shall  use  threats  to  any  one  *  *  *  concerning  their 
bodies  or  the  firing  of  their  houses  or  barns  to  find  sufficient 
surety  for  the  peace  or  their  good  behavior  *  *  *  and  also 
of  all  those  who  in  the  said  county  have  gone  or  rode  or  here- 
after presume  to  go  or  ride  in  companies  with  anned  force 
against  the  peace,  *  *  *  and  also  all  of  those  who  have 
therein  lain  in  wait,  or  hereafter  shall  presume  to  lie  in  wait 
to  maim  or  cut  or  kill  any  citizen  or  inhal)itant  of  our  said 
state  *  *  *  gj^^^i  |-Q  ijp.^j.  rjnd  determine  all  and  singular  the 
larcenies,  thefts,  trespasses,  forestallings,  regrettings,  angross- 
ings,    extortions,    unlawful    assemblies,    indibtments    aforesaid, 


278  History  of  Marlborough. 

all  and  singular  other  the  premises,  according  to  the  laws,  ordi- 
nances and  statutes  of  our  said  state  *  *  *  dilligently  to^ 
attend  to  keeping  of  the  peace,  laws  and  ordinances. 

For  all  and  singular  which  this  shall  be  your  commission 
for  and  during  our  good  pleasure  to  be  signified  by  our  Coun- 
cil of  Appointment. 

The  great  seal  of  our  state  to  be  hereto  affixed. 

JOHAT  JAY, 

Governor. 

It  lias  been  discovered  that  by  an  Act  of  the  Legis- 
lature passed  in  1827,  pursuant  to  an  amendment  of 
the  Constitution,  by  which  act  it  was  provided  "  That 
it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  said  inspectors  to  prepare 
one  box  for  receiving  the  ballots  of  such  persons  as 
shall  vote  for  justices  of  the  peace,  and  the  election 
of  justices  of  the  peace  shall  be  conducted,  and  the 
said  box  kept  locked  and  disposed  of,  in  all  respects, 
as  directed  in  relation  to  the  elections  of  members  of 
assembly."  And  it  was  further  provided,  ''  That  the 
supervisor  give  notice  in  writing  to  the  several  jus- 
tices elected  in  their  town  and  also  to  the  town  clerk 
of  tlie  time  and  place  to  determine  by  lot  the  classes 
of  the  said  justices,  *  *  *  and  at  such  time  and 
place,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  said  supervisor  and 
town  clerk  to  write  on  several  and  distinct  pieces  of 
paper  as  near  alike  as  may  be,  the  number  one,  two, 
three,  four;  which  papers  shall  be  privately  rolled, 
and  put  into  a  box,  and  drawn  for  by  said  justices^ 
and  that  each  justice  shall  class  according  to  the  num- 
ber upon  the  paper  by  him  so  drawn."  Under  this 
law  at  the  election  held  on  the  5th  day  of  November, 
1827,  and  the  two  succeeding  days  inclusive,  Abram 
D.  Soper,  Benjamin  Harcourt,  Benjamin  Townsend, 
and  Eli  T.  Lockwood  were  elected.  They  drew  for  their 
terms,  Benjamin  Harcourt  drew  for  one  year;  Soper 
for  two;  Lockwood  for  three;  and  Townsend  for  four. 
At  the  election  for  1828,  Harcourt  was  re-elected;  at 
the  election  of  1829  Soper  was  re-elected.     After  this 


Lawyers.  279 

it  was  provided  by  law  that  one  be  elected  each  year 
on  the  regular  town  ticket  the  same  as  all  the  other 
officers  were. 

I  also  find  the  following  names  of  Justices  of  the 
Peace  who  w-ere  appointed  prior  to  1800:  Benjamin 
Carpenter,  Wolvert  Ecker,  Anning  Smith,  Nathaniel 
DuBois,  Eheuben  Drake,  David  Ostrander,  Stephen 
Nottingham,  Samuel  Morey,  Cornelius  Drake,  John 
DuBois,  Uriah  Drake,  Jonathan  Brown,  Joseph 
Morey,  David  Staples,  Benjamin  Sands,  Jr.,  Dr.  Ben- 
jamin Ely,  Benjamin  Townsend. 

Between  1800  and  1830 :  Richard  I.  Woolsey,  David 
Staples,  Nehemiah  L.  Smith,  Benjamin  Harcourt, 
William  Soper,  Samuel  Drake,  Allen  Lester,  Charles 
Millard,  Andrew  Ely,  John  Rhoads,  John  Hait, 
Valentine  Lewis,  John  Noys,  Benjamin  Townsend, 
Abram  D.  Soper,  Ely  T.  Lockwood. 


Lawyers. 

The  first  lawyer,  that  I  can  find,  who  resided  here, 
was  William  W.  Borgordus.  He  came  here  about  1817 
and  practiced  a  few  3^ears.  John  Cole  was  next ;  he 
practiced  law  and  carried  on  other  business  about 
1820,  afterward  removing  to  Modena,  where  he  be- 
came an  extensive  land  owner.  He  was  a  man  of  much 
ability.  There  was  a  tradition  that  he  was  related  to 
Aaron  Burr.  He  left  quite  a  large  fortune, —  some- 
thing unusual  for  lawyers.  A  lawyer  by  the  name  of 
Pierce  practiced  here  for  some  time.  Abram  D.  Soper 
commenced  practice  about  1825;  he  was  the  first 
postmaster  at  Milton  in  1822,  Supervisor  in  1832  and 
]  833,  and  later  Member  of  Assembly  and  County  Judge. 
He  practiced  here  until  about  1845,  when  he  removed 
to  Brooklyn,  and  from  there  to  West  Virginia,  where 
he  died  a  few  years  since, —  over  90  years  ago.     He 


280  History  of  Marlborough, 


did  an  extensive  business,  including  conveyancing  for 
the  southern  part  of  the  county.  The  old  papers 
which  we  find  executed  by  him  are  models  of  practice, 
and  the  penmanship  is  excellent.  His  brother  William 
was  also  a  lawyer  here.  He  was  Supervisor  in  1839 
and  afterward  a  Member  of  Assembly,  He  practiced 
several  years  and  then  moved  to  Wisconsin,  Isaac 
L,  Craft  commenced  practice  about  1835  and  prac- 
ticed until  his  death  in  1855.  Hewitt  and  Walter  Far- 
rington  came  here  about  that  time  and  remained  a  few 
years,  C.  M,  Woolsey  commenced  practice  in  1867, 
and  he  with  E.  Dayton,  John  B,  Ball  and  John  Rusk 
are  jDracticing  here  now,  John  Kusk,  Sr,  commenced 
liis  practice  at  Marlborough  about  1870;  he  died  in 
1905.  Morgan  A,  Dayton  and  Judsou  C.  Dayton  prac- 
ticed here  a  short  time.  Morgan  Dayton  was  after- 
ward clerk  of  the  Surrogate's  Court  in  New  York 
city;  both  were  talented  but  died  young. 


Doctors. 

The  first  physician  I  find  who  practiced  in  this  town 
was  Dr.  Abijah  Perkins,  He  was  here  several  years 
before  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  was  a  prominent 
member  of  the  Committee  of  Safety  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  war.  He  died  in  November,  1776,  at 
the  age  of  60,  He  was  a  man  of  much  prominence, 
I  find  his  name  in  many  ancient  papers,  Dr,  Seth 
Perkins  was  also  practicing  here  in  1774,  The  next 
is  Dr.  Benjamin  Ely,  He  commenced  practice  before 
Perkins  died  and  continued  until  about  1820,  Dr.  Ely 
was  a  surveyor  and  surveyed  much  of  the  land  through 
this  part  of  the  county.  He  was  Town  Clerk  from  1784 
to  1791,  Supervisor  from  1800  to  1812;  also  Commis- 
sioner of  Highways,  and  for  several  years  Justice  of 
the  Peace.     Dr.  Elv  was  the  most  prominent  man  in 


Doctors.  281 

the  town  in  liis  time.     Dr.  Cornelius  Eoosa  practiced 
here  previous  to  1814,  when  he  died.    Dr.  David  Lynch 
died  here  in  1822.    I  cannot  find  how  long  they  were 
liere  —  perhaps  but  for  a  few  years,  as  I  very  seldom 
find   their   names.     Dr.    Fowler   practiced   sometime 
after  this.     Dr.  Marcus  Dougherty  and  Dr.  Nathan- 
iel Deyo  practiced  here  between  1830  and  1840.     Dr. 
James  S.  Knapp,  a  native  of  Orange  county,  was  born 
May   17,   1824.     He  pursued   the   study  of  medicine 
under  Dr.  Houghton  of  St.  Andrews,  afterward  grad- 
uating and  receiving  his  diploma  from  the  medical 
college  of  Castleton,  Vermont,  one  of  the  oldest  insti- 
tutions of  the  kind  in  this  country.     He  commenced 
the  practice  of  the  profession  in  1846,  in  the  village  of 
Milton,  and  some  six  years  thereafter  removed  to  the 
village  of  Marlborough,  where  he  soon  attained  a  high 
position  as  a  physician.    He  died  September  23,  1879, 
after  a  continuous  practice  in  this  town  of  more  than 
thirty-three  years.     He  was  dignified  in  deportment 
and  of  a  hospitable  and  sociable  disposition.    He  had 
many  friends,  and  he  will  long  be  remembered  by  the 
people  of  the  community  in  which  he  lived.    Dr.  Fen- 
ton  practiced  several  years  before  Dr.  Knapp.     Dr. 
William  Gedney  commenced  practice  here  in  1817  and 
continued  until  his  death  in  1849 ;  he  was  Supervisor 
in  1825.     He  was  of  a  genial  and  happy  disposition, 
very  friendly  with  all  and  very  fond  of  visiting  among 
his   neighbors.     When  called   to   visit   a  patient,   he 
would  drive  up  in  front  of  the  house,  throw  down  his 
reins  and  the  horse  would  pasture  up  and  down  the 
road  at  his  leisure;  he  generally  remained  with  the 
patient  or  at  the  house  visiting  until  he  was  called  to 
go  somewhere  else.    If  night  overtook  him,  his  horse 
would  be  put  in  the  barn  and  he  would  put  up  for  the 
night.     He  never  appeared  to  trouble  himself  much 
about  his  pay ;  seldom  sent  in  a  bill ;  he  lived  economi- 
cally and  his  wants  were  few.    When  he  died  all  his 


282  History  of  Marlborough. 

patients  and  neighbors  felt  as  if  they  had  lost  a  good 
friend.  It  was  said  of  him,  that  he  joined  the  Free 
Masons,  but  he  appeared  to  consider  it  more  of  a  joke 
tlian  anything,  and  he  had  so  much  to  say  about  them, 
and  laughed  so  much  over  them,  that  finally  one  morn- 
ing he  found  a  note  under  his  door,  and  its  contents 
must  have  been  quite  startling,  for  he  was  never  heard 
to  say  another  word  about  the  Free  Masons.  He  was 
succeeded  in  practice  by  his  son.  Dr.  William  H.  Ged- 
ney,  and  it  is  hardly  necessary  for  me  to  say  anything 
about  him,  as  his  memory  is  fresh  with  all  the  people 
of  this  and  adjoining  towns.  He  represented  the  town 
in  the  board  of  supervisors  many  years,  took  an  active 
part  in  church  work,  and  was  considered  a  practi- 
tioner of  much  ability.  He  died  in  1896,  leaving  no 
family. 

Many  of  the  older  people  will  remember  Dr.  William 
B.  Pierson;  genial,  whole-souled  and  clever  man,  liis 
presence  did  his  patients  more  good  than  his  medi- 
cine. He  made  friends  readily;  the  people  all  ap- 
peared to  like  him.  He  was  a  Democrat  in  politics, 
and  was  Supervisor  from  1859  to  1862.  Soon  after  he 
came  here  he  opened  a  drug  store  at  Milton.  There 
was  quite  a  contest  always  between  him  and  Dr.  Ged- 
ney  in  practice  and  in  politics.  He  removed  to  Groshen 
in  1862  or  1863  and  went  from  there  to  Brooklyn, 
where  I  think  he  is  still  living  at  an  advanced  age. 

Dr.  Theodoi'e  Quick  came  to  Milton  about  the  same 
time  that  Dr.  Pierson  did.  Milton  was  well  blessed 
with  doctors  then,  as  it  had  three  in  full  practice,  and 
they  traveled  for  miles  in  every  direction,  and  all  ap- 
peared to  do  good  and  enjoy  prosperous  business. 
Dr.  Quick  was  of  a  very  social  disposition  and  had 
many  friends.  He  afterward  removed  to  New  York 
city,  where  he  died  a  few  years  since. 

After  these  Dr.  Solomon  Hasbrouck  practiced  here 
several  years  and  to  the  time  of  his  death.     C.  V. 


The  Once  Famous  Antweep  Raspberry.       283 

Hasbrouck  followed,  but  after  a.  few  years  he  removed 
to  Rosendale,  where  he  now  lives. 

Dr.  Edward  W.  Carhart  came  after  Hasbrouck.  He 
was  postmaster  here  for  a  while,  also  one  of  the 
coroners  of  the  county,  and  took  quite  an  active  part 
in  politics.  He  removed  to  Brooklyn,  where  he  has 
a  large  and  lucrative  practice.  He  not  only  was  a  phy- 
sician to  his  patients,  but  he  also  nursed  them,  and 
people  all  over  this  town  speak  of  his  kindness  to  them 
in  sickness,  and  there  were  many  regrets  expressed 
when  he  went  away. 

Drs.  A.  H.  Palmer  and  David  Mosher  at  Marlbor- 
ough and  Dr.  J.  Freston  at  Milton  are  practicing  at 
present.  They  are  all  physicians  of  many  years'  ex- 
perience, eminent  in  their  profession,  with  a  large 
and  increasing  practice. 


The  Once  Famous  Antwerp  Raspberry. 

The  older  people  will  well  remember  this  berry,  its 
productiveness  and  tli'e  large  price  the  fruit  com- 
manded. It  started  or  was  the  commencement  of 
fruit  raising  in  the  town,  and  its  introduction  was 
most  peculiar.  The  first  Antwerp  plants  were  obtained 
in  a  singular  way.  A  friend  of  Edward  Young,  who 
kept  a  shop  in  Poughkeepsie  about  1834,  one  day  ob- 
served a  package  on  his  counter,  which  he  was  satis- 
fied had  been  left  by  a  stranger  who  had  visited  the 
shop  a  short  time  previously.  He  laid  the  package 
aside  for  several  days  when,  it  not  being  called  for, 
lie  opened  it,  found  some  young  raspberry  plants  and 
set  them  out.  They  yielded  such  splendid  fruit  that 
he  sent  for  his  friend  Edward  Young,  and  invited  him 
to  take  some  and  raise  them.  This  was  in  the  fall  of 
1835.  The  plants  were  taken  home  by  Young  and 
propagated,   much   attention   being  devoted   to   their 


284  History  of  Marlborough. 

culture.  He  raised  them  first  near  Lattintown.  They 
proved  very  prolific,  and  far  ah-ead  in  quality  of  any 
other  variety.  He  was  laughed  at  for  trying  to  sell 
them  in  New  York  city,  but  time  afterward  showed 
his  foresight  and  wisdom.  Mr.  Young  was  born  in 
1775  and  died  in  1854. 

Others  claimed  to  have  propagated  this  berry  be- 
fore Edward  Young,  but  this  is  not  proven,  and  to 
him  belongs  the  credit  of  being  the  first  to  market 
this  remarkable  berry,  and  pave  the  way  for  the  ship- 
ment of  fruit  of  all  kinds  to  New  York  city. 

In  the  spring  of  1837  plants  of  this  berry  were 
brought  here  from  New  Eochelle,  Westchester  county, 
by  Thomas  H.  Burling,  and  planted  in  the  garden  of 
his  son-in-law,  Nathaniel  Hallock,  and  grown  for 
family  use  for  several  years.  But  to  the  Youngs  the 
growers  were  largely  indebted  for  demonstrating  the 
profit  to  be  derived  from  the  sale  of  this  berry  and 
other  small  fruits.  The  plants  at  first  were  strong 
and  hardy,  and  grew  in  great  abundance,  producing 
large  crops  of  the  richest  fruit.  It  required  to  be 
covered  in  the  winter,  and  well  fertilized  and  culti- 
vated; though  most  everyone  cultivated  small  patches, 
there  were  a  few  who  had  large  acreage.  It  was  the 
best  and  most  prosperous  berry  ever  raised  here. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Ancient  Customs  and  Habits. 

A  liimdred  years  ago  or  more  there  were  at  least  a 
^ozen    blacksmith    shops    in    the    town  —  more    than 
double  what  is  there  now.    They  were  not  only  at  the 
villages,  but  also   at  the  principal   crossroads.     The 
blacksmith  was  also  a  wagonmaker  or  had  an  assist- 
ant to  do  that  work.     They  made  all  the  wagons  for 
the  people  and  ironed  them  at  the  same  shop.     All 
Idnds  of  iron  work  was  done  by  the  blacksmith  then; 
he  not  only  did  what  work  is  done  now,  but  he  made 
horseshoes,  the  nails  to  put  them  on,  and  other  kinds 
of  nails,  the  crowbars  and  hammers,  and  all  such ;  also 
edge  tools,  as  knives  and  carpenter's  tools.     All  old 
files  and  choice  bits  of  steel  were  saved  up  for  that 
purpose.      Old  horseshoes  and  nails  were   saved  up 
.and  sent  to  the  gun  shop.      Their  class  of  work  re- 
quired great  skill  and  they  could  do  many  things  that 
'  are  not  generally  taught  in  the  trade  now.     All  the 
old  pieces  of  iron  and  steel  saved  up  by  the  farmers 
were  taken  to  the  shop  and  made  over  into  new  articles 
for  use.    The  blacksmith  made  everything  in  the  line 
of  hardware  that  entered  into  the  construction  of  a 
house ;  he  made  the  hinges  and  lock  and  fastenings  for 
doors,  etc.     In  fact,  almost  every  conceivable  piece  of 
iron  work  required  about  the  farm  was  mad-e  by  the 
blacksmith.     He  was  a  great  man  in  his  way,  and  a 
skilled  mechanic.     The  shop  in  those  days  was  quite 
a  resort  for  the  neighbors,  and  quite  a  place  to  dis- 
cuss politics  and  news  of  the  day. 

The  people  raised  flax  and  from  it  spun  and  made 
their  own  clothes  in  the  families".  This  was  mostly 
done  by  the  women  folks ;  they  all  wore  linen  dresses 
which  they  made  themselves,  and  the  men's  clothing 


286  History  of  Marlborough. 

was  also  made  from  the  flax.  It  was  considered  a 
luxury  for  the  girls  to  have  one  calico  dress,  wliicli 
then  cost  more  than  silk  does  now.  At  that  time  silk 
was  almost  unknown.  For  the  woolen  clothes,  the 
sheep  were  raised  on  the  farms;  their  wool  taken  to 
the  mill  and  generally  made  into  cloth  on  shares,  the 
cloth  taken  home  and  there  made  into  clothes  for 
all  the  family.  There  were  women  who  made  a 
specialty  of  this  class  of  work,  who  would  go  from 
house  to  hous-e  and  remain  weeks  at  a  time,  and  make 
up  clothes  for  the  men  as  well  as  the  women  of  the 
family.    People  did  not  buy  $100  suits  then. 

When  cattle  were  killed  the  hides  were  taken  to  the 
tanner  and  tanned  on  shares,  or  he  would  make  it  up 
into  boots  or  shoes  on  shares.  Some  shoemakers 
would  bring  their  tools  to  the.  house  and  make  the 
leather  goods  up  in  the  family. 

The  butter  and  cheese  which  the  farmers  made,  and 
the  grain,  etc.,  which  they  raised  were  traded  with 
the  storekeeper  for  his  goods,  and  he  in  turn  shipped 
the  same  by  sloop  to  New  York  city.  In  fact  almost 
everything  was  raised,  produced  and  made  at  home. 
Very  little  money  went  abroad,  and  very  few  things 
were  purchased  out  of  the  place.  If  a  person  wanted 
to  go  to  New  York  city  to  trade,  he  went  down  on  a 
sloop  which  made  but  one  trip  a  week,  mostly  but  one 
trip  in  two  weeks. 

The  people  lived  mostly  within  themselves;  they 
raised  lots  of  things  and  had  abundance,  and  lived 
well  on  what  they  raised ;  and  things  which  they  could 
not  raise,  they  generally  went  without.  Very  little  was 
brought  from  across  the  seas  to  tempt  their  appetite. 
Apple  orchards  were  plenty;  all  laid  in  lots  of  apples 
and  cider,  and  often  something  stronger,  and  the 
''  stronger  "  was  also  made  up  from  apples  on  shares. 
The  neighbors  visited  together  evenings  and  enjoyed 
the  apples  and  the  rest,  smoked  their  pipes  and  were 


Ancient  Customs  and  Habits.  287 


very  sociable.  The  farmers  had  plenty  of  such  as  they 
raised,  and  everyone  was  welcome  to  a  meal  or  lodg- 
ing. -  No  one  thought  of  charging  for  such  matters, 
with  cider,  -etc.  thrown  in. 

The  houses  had  big  fireplaces  from  which  the  rooms 
were  warmed,  and  over  which  the  food  was  cooked. 
A  big  black  log  was  always  in  place.  The  houses  be- 
came cold  in  the  long  winter  nights  and  the  people 
hungry;  and  it  was  the  custom  for  the  family  to  get 
up  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  throw  more  wood  on  the 
fire,  and  sit  around  it  and  have  a  lunch,  and  then 
after  a  while  go  back  to  bed. 

The  churches  had  no  fire  in  them  in  the  winter;  the 
people  carried  small  foot  stoves,  which  were  iron  pans 
or  boxes  filled  with  hot  coals,  with  them  to  church. 
The  meetings  lasted  all  day;  lunch  was  taken  along 
to  eat  at  noon,  and  during  the  intermission  the  people 
visited  together  and  had  a  good  time. 

The  school  teachers  boarded  around  among  the 
people  of  the  district  who  sent  children  to  school. 
They  boarded  for  a  length  of  time  in  proportion  to 
the  number  of  children  which  the  respective  families 
sent  to  school.  In  some  families  the  teacher  would 
stay  but  a  few  days,  in  others  much  longer.  In  some 
houses  it  was  quite  an  event  to  have  the  teacher  come 
and  he  or  she  was  treated  much  as  a  gaiest;  but,  in 
others,  the  teacher  suffered  privations,  owing  mostly 
to  the  poverty  of  the  families.  Certainly  the  teacher 
had  great  opportunities  to  study  human  nature  and 
see  how  the  people  lived.  They  came  in  close  contact 
with  all  classes  of  people  under  all  conditions.  A 
great  number  of  the  teachers  were  from  Massachu- 
setts, and  th-ey  were  a  bright  and  enterprising  class, 
and  generally  married  the  young  farmers  here;  they 
settled  down  and  became  good  wives  and  mothers. 
The  principal  help  in  the  famihes  were  slave  girls,  who 
were  sold,  as  a  rule,  at  between  $50  and  $100.    Fami- 


288  History  of  Marlborough. 

lies  who  did  not  own  slaves  often  hired  them  of  the 
owners.  They  afforded  good  and  cheap  help  and  sel- 
dom ran  away.  It  was  a  custom  when  the  father  of  a 
family  died,  for  the  appraisers  to  set  off  the  slave 
girl  to  the  widow  as  a  part  of  her  dower.  I  find  in 
ancient  inventories  that  the  slaves  appraised  at  so 
much  a  head,  scheduled  the  same  as  the  horses  and 
cattle.  Ancient  deeds  often  conveyed  with  the  land 
some  of  the  slaves. 

People  traveled  about  on  horseback  —  pleasure 
wagons  being  scarce.  Many  young  ladies  had  a  horse 
of  their  own  and  went  about  much  on  horseback.  My 
grandmother  used  to  tell  how  wh-en  a  girl  she  thought 
nothing  of  saddling  her  horse  of  a  Sunday  morning 
and  riding  either  to  Newburgh  or  Esopus  to  church. 
People  carried  their  grain  on  horseback  to  the  mill  to 
be  ground,  and  then  carried  hom-e  their  purchases. 

Communication  by  mail  was  slow  and  uncertain. 
Years  before  regular  mails  were  ■established,  and  be- 
fore stages  ran,  the  mail  was  carried  up  one  side  of 
the  river  and  down  the  other  from  New  York  to 
Albany.  It  took  several  days  to  make  the  trip,  so  that 
letters  and  papers  were  only  received  two  or  three 
times  a  month.  The  mail  matter  was  left  at  the  vil- 
lages and  crossroads  and  houses  along  th-e  route,  and 
when  the  neighbors  heard  that  the  mail  carrier  had 
been  around,  they  called  at  certain  stated  places  and 
got  their  mail.  After  the  stage  coaches  began  travel- 
ing here,  they  carried  the  regular  mail,  but  left  it 
only  at  the  established  post-office,  the  nearest  on  this 
side  of  the  river  being  at  Newburgh  and  Kingston.  I 
find  in  some  of  the  old  papers  letters  for  residents  of 
this  town  being  advertised  at  these  offices.  All  this 
was  attended  with  much  delay  and  inconvenience,  but 
our  ancestors  were  used  to  it  and  thought  notliing  of 
it.  After  1822  Milton,  and  after  1824  Marlborough, 
had  regular  mail  service. 


Ancient  Customs  and  Habits.  289 


The  butchers  in  those  times  had  no  ice,  in  fact  no 
one  had  ice.  The  butcher  who  killed  beef  in  summer 
would  drive  around  until  all  was  sold.  The  people 
would  put  the  meat  in  tight  vessels  and  place  it  in 
the  spring  or  the  well  until  they  could  use  it.  There  was 
no  hard  coal  used  then.  Certain  kinds  of  wood  were 
burned  in  charcoal  pits,  and  thus  soft  coal  was  made 
for  the  blacksmiths  and  also  to  be  used  in  the  foot 
stoves  and  for  other  purposes.  There  are  many  places 
to  be  seen  in  the  town  now  where  the  charcoal  was 
burned,  and  fragments  of  the  coal  are  plenty  as  the 
elements  have  no  effect  on  charcoal. 

It  was  not  thought  improper  to  have  lotteries  for 
church  purposes,  and  records  of  such  are  still  to  be 
found. 

There  were  numerous  church  trials  for  drunken- 
ness. Many  young  women  were  cited  and  tried  for 
attending  balls  and  dancing,  which  was  considered  a 
serious  offense.  I  cannot  find  that  young  men  were 
so  tried.  In  ancient  times  it  was  a  custom,  and  ex- 
pected and  required,  that  women  should  be  and  do 
better  than  the  men;  a  higher  standard  was  fixed  for 
them;  any  dereliction  of  duty  or  conduct  would  not 
be  countenanced.  I  cannot  find  that  any  woman  was 
ever  brought  before  the  church  for  drunkenness,  and' 
I  find  that  they  were  seldom  or  never  brought  before 
the  courts  of  law  for  any  cause.  The  church  kept  good 
watch  and  ward  over  their  people.  It  appears  from 
what  can  be  found  in  old  records,  papers,  etc.,  and 
from  tradition  and  other  sources,  that  the  mothers 
of  the  town  were  a  good,  religious,  industrious,  frugal 
and  worthy  people.  It  can  be  safely  said  that  no 
truer  or  better  class  of  women  ever  lived,  and  the 
people  have  reason  to  be  proud  that  they  are  de- 
scended from  so  worthy  women  kind. 

Frolics  and  husking  bees  were  frequent.    After  the 
corn  became  ready  for  husking,  it  was  taken  into  the 
10 


290  History  of  Marlborough. 

barn  or  other  building,  the  people,  especially  the 
young  men  and  women,  turned  out  to  husk  it  in  the 
evenings,  the  buildings  being  lighted  with  lanterns, 
it  was  quite  a  social  event,  and  when  a  young  man 
found  a  red  ear  of  corn  he  was  entitled  to  kiss  the 
girl  who  was  husking  with  him.  This  sort  of  pastime 
was  enjoyed  then  as  much  as  the  present  social  times 
are  enjoyed  now.  The  farmers  assembled  and  helped 
each  other,  and  at  the  conclusion^  of  the  task  they  had 
a  great  country  dinner  of  lamb  potpie  or  chicken 
fricasse  with  lots  of  dumplings  and  vegetables;  the 
women  vied  with  each  other  to  provide  the  best  enter- 
tainment. 

The  barn  and  house  raisings  always  brought  out 
a  crowd;  the  timbers,  oak  and  chestnut  logs  were 
hewn,  and  required  much  labor  to  get  them  in  place. 
It  was  thought  necessary  to  use  enormous  beams,  and 
timber  was  put  in  buildings  that  would  have  sup- 
ported a  dozen  times   the  weight  required  of  them. 

The  women  raised  the  poultry,  attended  to  all  the 
dairy  work,  prepared  the  flax  and  cloth,  made  their 
own  dresses  and  assisted  in  much  of  the  light  work 
on  the  farm.  Many  of  the  women  had  horses  of  their 
own,  went  to  church,  made  calls,  etc.  They  rode  on 
their  horse  with  side  saddles—  to  have  ridden  with 
divided  skirts,  or  as  men  do,  would  not  then  have  been 
countenanced.  They  were  a  strong,  healthy  people  and 
ver}^  self-reliant.  They  could  take  care  of  themselves 
quite  as  well  as  the  men  could.  They  had  not  the 
advantages  of  the  seminaries  and  polite  education, 
but  their  mothers  had  brought  them  up  well,  and  they 
had  good  common  sense,  and  in  their  turn  made  good 
wives  and  mothers. 

It  was  the  custom  with  many  families  to  bury  their 
dead  upon  their  farms.  The  Quimby  and  Quick 
families  and  others  had  a  burial  place  on  a  knoll  in  the 
corner  field  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the  crossroads 


Ancient  Customs  and  Habits.  291 

near  the  Michael  Kaley  place.  This  was  used  for 
years  by  the  diiTerent  owners  of  the  place.  The 
Qnimby  family  buried  on  the  east  side  of  its  farm  in 
old  times,  on  the  lands  now  owned  by  Alice  Fowler,  at 
where  the  wild  cherry  trees  stand ;  some  of  the  old 
stones  still  remain.  The  William  Bond  family  and  its 
slaves  were  buried  on  the  patent  at  th-e  southeast  cor- 
ner, where  the  road  from  Eobert  Hallock's  mill  meets 
the  Milton  dock  road  above  Bell's  factory.  The  Isaac 
Hill  family  were  buried  on  the  land  back  of  the  Had- 
ley  place  above  Milton  dock;  and  at  various  other 
places  about  the  town,  families  were  often  buried  in 
olden  times  on  their  farms. 

A  short  distance  over  the  Marlborough  line  in  the 
town  of  Lloyd,  is  a  family  graveyard  on  what  was 
the  old  Potter  farai.  Here  in  a  neglected  spot,  sur- 
rounded by  a  tumbled  stone  wall,  is  buried  the  old 
Revolutionary  patriot,  Lieutenant  Nathaniel  Potter, 
who  took  an  active  part  in  the  cause,  and  was  one  of 
the  Committee  of  Safety  of  the  precinct  of  New  Marl- 
borough. There  are  twenty  graves  or  more  in  this 
small  enclosure,  mostly  of  the  Potter  family.  The 
stones  are  in  good  state  of  preservation. 

The  fences  were  very  poor  and  people  were  care- 
less with  their  cattle,  and  they  either  broke  out  of  the 
enclosures  or  were  allowed  to  run  in  the  highways, 
and  so  it  was  necessary  that  they  should  bo  taken 
into  custody  to  prevent  trespassing  and  to  hold  th^^m 
for  the  owner,  so  pounds  were  instituted.  At  the 
town  meeting  in  1773,  it  was  voted  that  there  be  two 
pounds, —  one  at  Silas  Purdy's  (the  Gaede  place), 
and  one  at  Robert  Everett's  (the  Valley).  Purdy 
and  Everett  were  chosen  pounders.  The  persons 
taking  the  animals  to  the  pound  received  a  fee  and 
the  pounders  also  received  a  fee  for  holding  them  and 
taking  care  of  them.  The  owners  could  appear  and 
prove  property,  pay  the  fees  and  take  his  cattle  or 


292  History  of  Marlborough. 


horses.  This  way  of  taking  up  strays  continued  until 
about  1850.  It  was  customary  to  choose  a  pounder 
upon  the  regular  town  ticket. 

By  an  old  colonial  law,  minor  offences  were  pun- 
ished by  confinement  in  the  public  stocks,  or  by  pub- 
lic whipping.  In  1695,  a  law  was  passed  forbidding 
"  travelling,  servile  laboring  and  working,  shooting^ 
fishing,  sporting,  playing,  horse-racing,  hunting,  or 
frequenting  tipling  houses,"  by  any  of  the  ''  inhabi- 
tants or  sojourners  within  the  province  of  New  York, 
or  by  any  of  their  slaves  or  servants,  on  the  Lord's 
day,"  under  penalty,  if  a  free  white  person,  of  a  fine 
of  six  shillings  or  confinement  in  the  public  stocks  for 
three  hours,  or  if  a  slave  or  Indian,  thirteen  lashes 
upon  the  naked  back.  Each  town  and  precinct  had  its 
whipping-post  and  stocks.  The  use  of  these  stocks 
and  whipping-posts  made  speedy  and  cheap  punish- 
ment for  all  petty  offences.  Those  erected  in  this 
town  were  put  up  first  at  Silas  Purdy's.  At  the  town 
meeting  in  1773  it  was  voted  ''that  one  pound  be 
raised  for  a  pair  of  stocks  to  be  kept  at  Silas  Pur- 
dy's, who  is  to  become  responsible  to  the  precinct 
for  the  same  if  damaged  or  destroyed."  The  punish- 
ment consisted  in  putting  the  culprits  in  the  stocks 
in  such  a  way  that  their  feet  and  hands  were  secured, 
where  they  had  to  remain  a  certain  length  of  time ;  or 
if  the  whipping-post  was  used,  a  certain  number  of 
lashes  were  given.  While  this  was  used  principally 
in  punishing  slaves  there  are  many  cases  in  which 
white  people  were  so  punished.  A  justice  of  the  peace 
rendered  sentence  as  to  the  numbr  of  hours  a  prisoner 
was  to  be  confined  in  the  stocks,  or  the  number  of 
lashes  to  be  administered,  and  a  constable  executed 
the  sentence.  The  whipping-post  was  generally  a 
part  of  the  stocks  and  erected  with  it.  This  kind  of 
punishment  was  public  and  attended  with  much 
himiiliation  and  shame,  and  very  few  allowed  them- 


Ancient  Customs  and  Habits.  293 

selves  to  be  punished  the  second  time  in  this  way. 
There  were  stocks  at  one  time  in  Lattintown  yet  it 
is  not  known  that  any  were  used  in  this  town  after  the 
year  1800;  but  the  one  at  Newburgh,  which  stood  at 
the  junction  of  Colden  and  Water  streets,  was  there 
up  to  about  1810. 

The  justices  of  the  peace,  or  some  of  them,  had  very 
crude  ideas  of  law  and  the  administration  of  justice. 
There  has  been  many  traditions  handed  down  of  how 
they  managed  their  courts  and  enforced  their  sen- 
tences. A  dangerous  man  charged  with  a  serious 
offence  was  brought  before  a  justice,  the  evidence  was 
quite  clear  against  him,  and  the  court  promptly  ren- 
dered a  decision,  sentencing  the  offender  to  a  long 
term  in  a  state  prison.  When  it  was  suggested  to  the 
Court  that  it  had  no  right  to  so  sentence  him,  the 
justice  replied,  ' '  Right  or  no  right,  the  man  is  a  bad 
man,  and  he  will  have  to  go  to  state's  prison  some- 
time and  the  sooner  he  gets  there  the  better;  I  will 
send  him  any  way."  Two  constables  were  deputized 
to  take  him  to  the  prison,  but  they  soon  return  bring- 
ing the  man  with  them. 

It  was  said  of  another  justice  that  when  he  tried  a 
civil  suit  he  had  hard  work  to  weigh  his  evidence, 
and  in  such  cases  he  repaired  to  his  barn  and  tossed 
a  penny,  head  for  the  plaintiff  and  tail  for  the 
lefendant. 

The  practice  of  medicine  was  very  crude  and  un- 
certain; the  doctors  had  peculiar  ideas,  and  their 
treatment  of  patients  for  the  same  diseases  was  the 
opposite  of  the  practice  at  present.  In  almost  every 
conceivable  case  and  without  any  regard  for  the  con- 
dition of  the  patient,  he  was  first  bled.  There  were 
no  trained  nurses  then,  nor  hospitals  to  care  for  the 
patients.  And  the  sufferer  received  such  care  as  the 
doctor  could  give  and  the  resources  of  the  family 
provided.      Very    little    attention    was    paid    to  con- 


294  History  of  Marlborough. 

tagious  diseases;  in  fact  only  two  or  three  were  con- 
sidered contagious  —  small-pox,  cholera,  etc.,  and  no 
notices  were  ever. seen  posted  on  the  houses  warning 
people  against  contagious  disease.  The  doctors  had  a 
few  simple  remedies  which  they  used  for  many  com- 
plaints, and  always  carried  their  medicine  in  a  box 
with  them.  Prescri])tions  and  drug  stores  were  un- 
known and  the  patient  recovered  or  died  just  as  fate 
favored  him. 

Quillings  were  quite  a  social  event  among  the 
women,  and  cutting  and  sewing  together  material  for 
rag  carpets.  The  mother  of  a  family  would  invite 
in  her  neighbors  of  an  afternoon  to  help  her,  and 
they  would  have  what  tliey  called  a  ({uilting  bee,  and 
at  supper  time  the  husbands  of  the  women  would  call 
and  all  have  supper  together. 

When  the  women  folks  attended  a  dinner  party  or 
other  social  function,  they  took  their  knitting  with 
them,  and  set  about  in  a  circle  for  hours  talking  over 
the  events  of  the  times,  and  knitting  the  stockings 
and  mittens  of  the  family.  The  stockings  were  long 
and  the  mittens  thick  and  warm;  there  were  no  idle 
hands  then.  A  woman  was  never  without  some  work, 
and  her  numerous  duties  compelled  her  constant  at- 
tention. After  their  day's  labor  they  spent  their 
evenings  spinning  yarn,  making  or  mending  clothes 
for  their  families,  etc.,  while  the  men  sat  around  the 
fire-place  and  smoked  their  long  clay  pipes,  read, 
played  checkers  —  which  was  a  favorite  game  —  or 
told  stories.  The  women  at  that  time  did  more  work 
than  the  men;  it  appears  the  reverse  now. 

It  has  been  handed  down  to  us  by  tradition  that 
the  neighbors  were  very  kind  to  each  other  in  cases 
of  sickness  and  death.  They  would  leave  their  own 
cares  and  families  to  administer  to  the  afflicted. 
There  were  no  hearses  or  closed  carriages  for  the 
funeral.     An   undertaker   at   Lattintown,    and   after- 


Ancient  Customs  and  Habits.  295 


ward  at  Marlborough  would  make  the  coffin  after 
the  death,  take  liis  wagon  and  convey  the  corpse  to 
the  grave;  and  the  neighbors  carried  the  mourners 
and  such  friends  as  desired  to  attend  the  funeral. 
There  were  no  carriages  to  pay  for  and  the  under- 
taker's bill  was  generally  from  ten  to  twenty  dollars. 
Field  stones  marked  the  place  of  burial  or  else  plain 
cheap  slabs  of  redstone  or  marble.  The  income  from 
the  farms  was  small,  and  very  little  money  was  spent 
even  for  necessaries.  Certainly  there  was  no  money 
to  squander  and  a  little  money  provided  everything 
necessary,  as  most  things  were  cheap. 

To  be  sure  there  were  no  overshoes;  the  men  had 
nothing  to  wear  in  the  snow  but  coarse  cowhide  boots, 
and  the  women  leather  shoes.  The  children  plodded 
their  way  through  rain  and  snow  to  school  and  sat 
with  wet  feet  the  remainder  of  the  day.  If  wet  feet 
and  exposure  had  jjroduced  consumption  and  kindred 
diseases,  all  the  people  would  have  died,  but  they 
were  born  to  it,  and  lived  through  it,  and  left  a 
pretty  rugged  posterity. 

There  were  no  cigarettes;  no  little  boys  were  seen 
about  the  town  with  this  emlilem  of  disease  and 
premature  death  in  their  mouths.  Cigars  were  al- 
most unknown,  at  least  few  had  money  for  so  great 
a  luxury,  and  all  who  wished  to  smoke  had  to  resort 
to  the  white  clay  pipe.  Most  of  the  old  people  of  both 
sexes  smoked  the  pipe,  and  it  appeared  a  source  of 
much  consolation  to  the  extremely  old  and  infirm, 
when  they  had  few  comforts,  to  sit  around  the  fire- 
place and  smoke  their  pipes.  Certainly  the  pipe  was 
a  safe  thing  com] )a red  to  the  cigars  and  cigarettes. 

The  principal  intoxicating  liquors  were  apple 
whiskey  and  New  England  rum.  There  was  a  dis- 
tillery here  and  several  in  what  is  now  Plattekill. 
Rum  sold  for  three  cents  a  glass,  or  thirty  cents  a 
gallon.     There  was  no  duty  on  it,  and  a  license  cost 


296  History  of  Marlborough. 

but  five  dollars.  It  was  perfectly  pure  —  just  as  it 
came  from  the  still.  There  was  nothing  cheap 
enough  to  adulterate  it  with  except  water,  and  though 
it  had  lots  of  alcohol  in  it  and  would- make  a  person 
drunk,  yet  it  poisoned  no  one.  There  were  no  drugs 
in  it  —  just  the  pure  liquor  as  it  was  distilled.  There 
was  much  intoxication  as  most  every  one  used  it,  and 
vigorous  steps  were  taken  in  olden  times  to  suppress 
it.  At  one  time  temperance  societies  were  formed  in 
each  school  district.  Farmers  thought  they  could  not 
get  in  the  hay  and  harvest  without  it.  All  the  work 
was  done  by  hand,  and  the  men  worked  the  long  sum- 
mer days  from  sun  to  sun— no  ten-hour  work  then  — 
but  they  all  used  lots  of  whiskey  and  rum  and  did 
big  work.  Ordinary  wages,  by  the  day,  was  about 
fifty  cents;  in  hay  and  harvest,  one  dollar  and  board. 
After  the  harvest  the  day  men  threshed  out  the  grain 
by  the  tenth,  and  laid  wall  at  thirty  cents  a  rod  the 
rest  of  the  season.  If  a  man  was  industrious  and 
wanted  a  job  for  the  winter,  he  would  -engage  to  build 
a  long  strip  of  wall.  Before  the  ground  froze  up  he 
would  stake  it  out,  throw  out  the  stone,  make  the 
foundation,  and  lay  the  wall  during  the  winter.  It 
was  not  uncommon  to  see  men  all  over  the  town 
doing  this  in  winter.  Stone  walls  for  farmers  was  all 
the  go.  They  had  to  build  fences,  not  only  to  protect 
the  crops  but  also  to  get  rid  of  the  stone.  These 
men  made  a  business  of  wall-laying  from  their  child- 
hood and  were  quite  rapid  at  it,  and  made  good  wages 
for  those  times.  There  are  many  fences  now  standing 
in  the  town  that  were  built  a  hundred  years  ago; 
but  it  is  a  lost  art  now  and  so  expensive  that  the  old- 
fashioned  stone  wall  is  a  thing  of  the  past. 

Social  gatherings  were  usually  confined  to  neigh- 
borly afternoon  visits.  Large  evening  parties  were 
not  common,  and  when  they  were  held  the  time  was 
not  generally  spent  in  dancing  by  the  young,  but  in 


Ancient  Manuscripts  of  the  Weather,  Etc.  297 

games  of  different  kinds  in  which  there  was  much 
'kissing.  Dancing  was  reserved  for  the  ballroom  with 
music  on  the  violin;  and  any  tavern  of  any  pretence 
had  a  room  known  as  the  ballroom.  These  public  balls 
were  opposed  by  the  churches  and  resulted  in  many 
church  trials. 

Apple-cuts  were  common  in  the  fall,  to  supply 
material  for  apple  sauce  and  pies  for  winter.  These 
were  mostly  for  the  benefit  of  the  young  people  who 
had  an  opportunity  for  a  good  time  when  the  work 
was  done.  The  social  manners  and  customs  of  those 
days  were  simple  and  not  hardened  with  the  formali- 
ties of  present  times  and  young  ladies  in  their  calico 
dresses  were  thought  very  pretty  and  nice  by  the 
young  men. 

Quiet  and  decorum  was  required  on  the  streets  on 
Sunday,  or  else  the  offender  soon  found  himself  in 
the  stocks. 


x^ncient  Manuscripts  of  the  Weather,  Etc. 

It  may  be  interesting  to  note  severe  and  unusual 
weather  and  extraordinary  storms.  Memoranda  have 
been  left  by  different  persons  who  kept  records  of 
such  events.  By  an  old  diary  it  appears  there  were 
great  swarms  of  locusts  in  the  years  1724,  1741,  1758, 
and  1775.  In  the  month  of  June,  1774,  there  was  a 
tempestuous  rain  attended  with  great  wind  and  very 
severe  thunder  and  lightning,  together  with  hailstones 
as  large  as  pullets'  eggs,  so  that  the  fields  were  in  a 
short  time  overflowed  with  water,  and  grain,  apples, 
and  young  fruit  trees  were  destroyed.  In  June,  1751, 
there  was  a  storm  of  similar  character. 

In  the  winter  of  1737,  there  was  a  great  fall  of 
rain,  which  froze  on  the  trees,  and  so  loaded  them 
with  ice  that  thousands  of  them  broke  in  pieces.    On 


298  History  of  Marlborough. 

the  17tli  and  18th  of  May,  1758,  there  was  a  very 
great  flood  of  water,  and  on  the  24th  day  of  the  same 
month  there  was  a  storm  which  is  thus  described: 

"  Then  we  had  a  tempestuous  and  violent  shower  with  rain, 
wind  and  hailstones  very  large.  Wind  N.  N.  E.  which  de- 
stroyed all  the  rye,  apples  and  gardens,  and  almost  all  the 
fruit  trees  are  damaged.  *  *  *  The  very  apple  trees  which 
are  young  the  bark  was  beaten  loose  by  the  weight  and  violence 
of  the  hailstones  that  fell.  Some  fowls  of  the  air  were  struck 
dead  by  the  hailstones  that  fell  upon  them." 

In  the  year  1770  there  were  vast  quantities  of  worms 
during  the  month  of  July,  and  in  1773  large  numbers 
of  caterpillars  doing  great  damage,  the  caterpillars 
making  special  havoc  in  apple  and  oak  trees.  In 
October,  1779,  there  was  an  unusually  great  flood,  and 
on  the  9th  of  May,  1781,  there  was  another.  Streams 
and  water  courses  overflowed  their  banks  and  did 
great  damage.  It  appears  from  several  sources  that 
the  summer  of  1760  was  very  remarkable  on  account 
of  the  great  rainfall  and  freshet.  The  appearance 
of  the  grain  before  harvest  gave  promise  of  very 
abundant  crop,  but  during  harvest  they  were  visited 
with  so  much  and  frequent  rains  that  the  greater  part 
of  the  wheat  was  entirely  spoiled.  The  freshet  is  thus 
described  in  a  letter  dated  August  lltli,  1760: 

But  of  all  the  showers  of  rain  that  I  ever  saw.  I  have  seen 
none  to  equal  that  of  Saturday,  the  2Gth  ult,  when  here  fell 
so  much  that  the  water  came  streaming  down  the  street,  or 
rather  rolling  wave  after  wave  like  a  small  river.  My  thoughts 
were  very  much  fixed  on  the  great  foundation  of  the  whole 
globe,  when  the  fountains  of  the  great  were  broken  up,  and  the 
windows  of  heaven  opened,  pouring  the  water  down  in  such 
quantities  as  aged  people  have  not  before  known.  *  *  * 
This  year  I  think  is  a  very  remarkable  year,  worthy  of  notice, 
and  ought  to  cause  us  to  reflect  on  the  conduct  of  our  life. 
It  is  a  very  signal  visit  from  the  Almighty  God,  these  great 
rains  which  have  thrown  down  strong  buildings,  and  the  con- 
tinuance thereof  day  after  day  might  cause  any  considerate  per- 
son to  fear  that  nothing  would  be  left  of  the  harvest  the  ensu- 


Ancient  Manuscripts  of  the  Weather,  Etc.     299 

ing  year;  but  l^lessed  be  God  who  has  yet  in  mercy  left  us 
plenty.  May  the  judgments  and  mercies  of  God  excite  us 
to  an  earnest  seeking,  and  deep  himiiliation,  before  the  throne 
of  grace,  imploring  that  God  may  be  pleased  to  avert  heavier 
strokes  to  fall  u.pon  our  guilty  heads  which  we  justly  deserve. 

The  winter  of  1817  and  1818  was  most  remarkable, 
and  recognized  as  colder  than  any  recorded  in  many 
years.  An  unusual  amount  of  snow  fell.  On  the  11th 
of  February,  the  thermometer  registered  32  degrees 
below  zero.  The  cold  extended  as  far  south  as  New 
Orleans,  and  sleighs  were  used  there  in  January.  The 
Potomac  opposite  Alexandria  was  frozen  over  in  Feb- 
ruary. The  mail  was  carried  from  New  York  to  New 
Jersey  on  the  ice.  The  river  here  in  some  places  was 
frozen  twenty  inches  thick.  The  streams  became  so 
solid  with  ice  that  many  fish  perished ;  and  it  was  hard 
to  obtain  water  for  cattle.  About  the  first  of  March 
the  weather  became  very  mild,  and  heavy  rains  com- 
menced on  the  third  which  raised  the  streams  so  rap- 
idly with  the  melting  snow  that  almost  every  bridge 
in  the  town  was  swept  away,  and  the  streams  being 
choked  by  ice  flooded  tire  fields. 

Following  are  some  extracts  from  an  old  memor- 
anda concerning  the  weather,  which  I  trust  will  prove 
of  interest  to  my  readers : 

1819. — This  month  (January)  pleasant  without  snow,  the 
weather  continuing  warm  with  some  small  rains  till  the  13th 
of  February  when  the  weather  changed  cold  with  heavy  snow 
from  the  northeast. 

June  29. —  This  day  we  experienced  one  of  the  most  severe 
hail  storms  my  eyes  ever  beheld,  the  wind  from  the  north 
blowing  hard  with  heavy  thunder  and  heavy  rain  mixed  with 
the  large  hailstones,  the  size  of  a  large  nutmeg  and  some 
measuring  four  inches  in  circumference,  the  ground  almost 
covered  with  the  windows  clashing  in  pieces  in  every  direction, 
a  sconce  interesting  and  awful  beyond  description.  Eighty 
panes  of  glass  were  stove  in  on  the  north  side  of  the  Methodist 
church   that  being  most  exposed. 


300  History  of  Marlborough. 

November  13,  1820. — This  day  the  snow  fell  twelve  inches 
deep  on  the  level. 

1822. — May  the  first  day.     Apples  trees  in  blossom. 

November  2oth.  Weather  remarkably  wann  and  pleasant, 
and  has  been  for  the  past  two  weeks. 

January  1,  1823. — Sleighing  from  the  1st  to  the  19th  good, 
and  pleasant  weather,  then  comes  warm  with  rain  destroying 
the  sleighing.  The  month  ends  pleasant,  weather  moderately 
cold. 

March  1. — Weather  clear  and  cold,  good  sleighing,  snow  two 
feet  deep  on  the  level. 

March  30th. — Snow  from  the  northeast,  violent. 

March  31st. — Still  snowing  and  blows  with  increased  vio- 
lence. 

May  8th. — Apples  have  begim  to  bloom. 

May  31st. —  Hard  frost,  considerable  ice. 

June  8tli.—  Rain,  the  season  most  beautiful.  Grass  and 
grain  remarkably  fine. 

October    24th. — Hail,    rain,    and    snow    from    the    northeast. 

October  25th. — Ground  covered  with  snow. 

February  .5th,  182-4. — Clear  and  very  cold.  Thermometer 
20  degrees  below  at  12  o'clock. 

March  3rd. — Clear,  pleasant  weather.  Wind  northeast. 
Ground  free  from  snow.  Capt.  Lockwood  sailed  for  New 
York.     Some  ice  in  the  river. 

March  4th. — The  ^ind  heavy  in  the  forenoon  from  the  north- 
east, in  the  afternoon  warm  and  pleasant. 

March  5th. —  This  is  one  of  the  handsomest  days  for  the 
season. 

March  6th. —  Warm  and  pleasant,  wind  south.  This  day 
sowed  sallad  seed. 

March  7th. —  In  the  morning  warm,  misty  weather.  The 
appearances  of  winter  have  all  disappeared.  Eain  through 
the  night. 

8th. — In    the   morning   clear,    wind    northwest,    heavy. 

9th. — Weather    pleasant,    wind    northeast. 

10th.—        "  ''  u  u 

11th. — Weather  cloudy  in  the  morning,  in  the  afternoon 
clear  and  pleasant. 

12th. — Cloudy  in  the  afternoon.  A  trifle  of  snow  through 
the  night.  Some  rain.  Eaw,  cold  weather,  wind  northeast. 
Afternoon  pleasant. 

13th. — With  wind  northwest.  14th  cloudy  in  morning,  wind 
south. 


Ancient  Manuscripts  of  the  Weather,  Etc.     301 


15t,h. — Clear  and  pleasant.  16th.  Snowed  hard  in  the  morn- 
ing, wind  northeast.     Continues  all  night. 

17t]i. — Snow  about  five  inches  deep.  Weather  warm.  Wind 
northeast  moderate.     Cloudy  all   day. 

18th.— Cloudy  through  the  day.  Weather  moderate.  19th. 
Foggy  till  ten  o'clock  A.M.  Clears  off  warm  and  pleasant,  at 
evening  clouds  up.  Snow  through  the  night,  2  inches.  Wind 
south. 

20th. —  In    the    morning    cloudy,    wind    southwest.     In    the 
afternoon   clear.     Wind  shifted  to   northwest,   blows   heavy. 
21st. —  Clear  wind  northeast,  light  and  chilly. 
The  month  of  April,  weather  variable. 
May  1st. —  Peach  trees  in  full  bloom.     Weather  handsome. 
3rd. —  Appletrees   begin    to    blossom.     9th.  This    day    every- 
thing  appears   to   the   best.     Fruit  trees   in   full  bloom.     The 
season  forward. 

Jan.  1st,  1825.     Warm  and  pleasant.     For  several  days,  no 
sleighing.     12,  13,  14,  and  15th  warm,  rain.     Weather  unusu- 
ally warm  through  the  winter,  the  most  so  that  I  ever  saw. 
April    30th. — Appletrees   in  bloom. 

1826. — The  winter  unusually  wann  except  three  or  four 
clays.  May  commences  with  dry  weather,  and  continues  with- 
out rain  until  the  3rd  of  June,  then  a  heavy  shower  and 
plenty  of  locust,  it  being  seventeen  years  since  their  last  appear- 
ance. 

1827. — The  winter  handsome  with  good  sleighing  all  the 
winter. 

1830.  April  15. — Peach  trees  begin  to  bloom.  25th.  Apple 
trees  begin  to  blossom.     Spring  very  forward. 

Jan.  1,  1831. —  Grand  eclipse  at  12  o'clock  noon  of  the  sun. 
11   1-2  digits. 

1832,  May  9. — Peach  and  plimi  trees  in  bloom.  Apple  trees 
just  begin  to  blossom. 

July  the  23.— Began  my  harvest,  the  latest  I  have  ever 
known. 

April  15,  1834. —  Peach  trees  begin  to  bloom.  25th,  Apple 
trees  in  bloom.  May  the  15. —  Ice  half  inch  thick  in  the  morn- 
ing. Extreme  cold.  Snow  visible  on  the  mountains  at  12 
o'clock. 

July  7,  8,  9th,  the  three  hotest  days.  Thermometer  104 
degrees  at  2  o'clock  P.  M.  in  the  shade. 

1835. — January  the  coldest  weather  in  40  years. 
April.     Cold  month.     Very  backward. 


302  History  of  Marlborough. 

May  16. —  Apple  trees  just  beginning  to  bloom.  Cold  in  the 
extreme. 

The  whole  of  the  summer  dry  in  the  extreme,  and  all  the 
fall  until  the  23d  of  November,  then  snow  3  inches.  Con- 
tinued till  the  3rd  of  December  very  cold.  Sharp  windless 
weather. 

Dec.  10th. — Snow  10  inches  deep.     Good  sleighing. 

16th. —  Weather  excessively  cold.  Rode  to  Newburgh  and 
back,  paid  dear  for  the  ride.  17th.  River  closed.  18.  Con- 
tinues cold. 

November  the  23,  1836. —  Snow  sufficient  for  sleighing.  Con- 
tinues to  increase  till  it  was  3  feet  deep  all  over  the  country. 
Good  sleighing  for  four  months. 

27  March. — Sleigh  and  horse  travelled  from  Kingston  to 
Hampton  on  the  ice. 

April  3. — The  river  still  closed  like  mid-winter  weather. 
Mild  and  pleasant.     The  average  depth  of  snow  two  feet. 

April  4. — The  navigation  opened  to  David  Sands'  dock. 
All  fast  above.  Steamboat  from  New  York  as  far  as  our 
landing. 

May   10. — Apple  trees  in  bloom.     Just  beginning. 

May  13th. — At  night  heavy  frost.     32  degrees. 

1837.  May  2.— Cold.  Ice  half  an  inch  thick.  Thermom- 
eter 26  degrees. 

May  29th. —  Heavy  frost  in  the  morning. 


The  Ancient  Burial  Places. 

One  of  the  oldest  graveyards  was  at  Lattintown,  on 
the  lands  now  owned  by  T.  B.  Odell,  about  where  his 
large  barns  now  stand.  All  traces  of  the  yard  had 
been  removed  before  Odell  became  the  owner,  except 
the  grave  of  Joseph  Carpenter,  who  died  in  1766. 
The  gravej^ard  was  first  used  as  such  about  1750,  and 
was  used  as  a  burial  ground  from  that  time  up  to 
1808,  when  the  Baptist  graveyard  was  opened,  but 
some  interments  were  made  there  after  this.  There 
were  perhaps  at  one  time  a  hundred  graves  or  more 
of  the  oldest  inhabitants  of  Lattintown.  Most  of  the 
stones  at  the  graves  were  rude  field  stones,  the  yard 


Ill:  ni.ii  I  iiKSTxt'T  Tree  at  Lyon's  Cou.neks. 


The  Ancient  Burial,  Places.  303 

was  negleeted  and  suffered  to  go  to  decay,  the  stones 
were  removed,  and  the  land  used  for  other  purposes. 
It  was  used  at  first  as  a  family  burial  yard  for  the 
Carpenter,  Caverly  and  Latting  families,  but  after- 
ward all  the  people  about  there  used  it;  as  it  was  on 
private  ground  there  was  no  means  of  protecting  it. 

On  a  beautiful  small  tract  of  tableland  overlook- 
ing the  majestic  Hudson  and  lying  in  the  bend  of 
the  Smith  pond  and  brook,  the  waters  of  which  comes 
foaming  to  the  river  over  a  very  steep  ledge  of  rocks, 
descending  about  150  feet  in  less  than  100  yards 
toward  the  Hudson,  and  commanding  a  view  of  the 
river  and  surrounding  country  and  hills  for  several 
miles,  is  the  old  Smith  burial  ground.  No  more  beauti- 
ful spot  can  be  found  in  a  day's  travel  along  the  river. 
All  overgrown  with  brush  and  weeds,  and  the  stones 
lying  about  the  ground  or  falling  down, —  in  this  ne- 
glected spot  is  laid  some  of  the  best  people  the  town 
ever  had  or  produced. 

It  has  been  claimed  that  the  Smiths  first  had  this 
yard,  but  there  is  a  tradition  that  the  Indians  buried 
their  dead  here  for  years  before  and  after  the  dis- 
covery of  the  country,  and  a  space  appears  to  be  left 
as  if  it  were  formerly  used,  and  I  find  on  two  field 
stones  the  following: 

*  '  (L    Cr    +    Ad        M    -f    OAd) 
which  I  think  must  be  Indian  graves. 

Leonard  Smith  did  not  come  here  until  1762,  and 
he  purchased  the  north  part  of  the  Barbarie  Patent 
which  part  contained  1,000  acres;  it  formerly  be- 
longed to  Hugh  Wentworth.  I  find  the  following 
graves  prior  to  that  time: 

I  E  David  Talcot 

1756  Died  May  24th  1762 

showing   it   was    used    for   a    graveyard    before    the 
Smiths  had  it.     There  are  at  least  100  graves  with 


304  History  of  Marlborough. 

field  stones  unmarked.  There  are  many  of  the  old 
red  imported  tombstones  which  were  first  used  for 
such  purpose.  The  following  inscriptions  are  on  some 
of  the  oldest  stones : 

Leonard  Smith  Aiming  Smith  Xatlian  Smith 

Died  ye  6th  1787  Died  Oct.  3Uth  1802  Died  Sept.  30th  1798 
Age  69  years   6  mo  Age  59  yrs.  10  mo.     Aged  33  yrs.  9  mo. 


Euth,  wife  of  Leonard  Smith 
March  19th  1799 
Age  81  yrs. 


Eleanor  Smith  Lewis  Smith 

Sept.  1835  May  1815 

89  yrs.  2  mo.  35  yrs.  2  mo. 


Clark  Smith 
June  31st  1802 
35  yrs.  9  mo. 


Jamima,  wife  of  Clark  Smith 
July  7th  1802 
35  yrs.  6  mo. 


ISTelle  Smith,  daughter  of  Deborah   Smith 

John  M.  Smith  July  25th   1838 

March  11th  1790  86  yrs.  20  da. 


Luff  Smith 
Aug.  24th  1801 
56  yrs.  1  mo. 


David  Stratton  Temperance  Parkins     James  ^NTorton 

Feb.  17th  1803          June  12th,  1789.  July  7th  1809 

34  yrs.  74  yrs.  42  yrs. 


The  Ancient  Burial  Places.  305 


T.  K. 

1789 

Oct, 
39 

Marv,  wife  of  Uriah  Coffin 
,  1795 

yrs. 

Hannah   Davis 
Dec.  7tli  1797 
104  yrs.  11  mo. 

Valentine  Lewis 
May  20th  1832 
60  yrs. 

Ruth  Woolsey,  wife  of 
Valentine  Lewis 
July  1855 
76  yrs. 

Amirhuhama'  Bradbury 
A   Eevohitionary    Soklier 
Born  March  11th  1762 
Died  May  5th  1830 

Sarah  Quick 
Wife  of  Luke  C.  Quick 
April  1814 
Age  72  yrs. 

M  R 

1776 

P  R 

1776 

This  yard  has  been  used  more  or  less  until  within 
a  few  years.  In  1812  the  land  on  which  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  stands  was  conveyed  by  David 
Sands  to  the  trustees  of  the  church,  and  a  few  years 
thereafter  interments  were  made  in  this  yard,  and 
afterward  the  yard  was  increased  or  adjoining  land 
was  purchased  and  sold  to  plot  owners,  and  it  has 
been  the  principal  place  of  burial  in  this  village  ever 
since. 

The  Marlborough  Presbyterian  churchyard  is  al- 
most as  old  as  the  first  two  spoken  of ;  the  first  inter- 
ment there  was  in  March,  1764,—  a  child  of  James 
Merritt;  and  the  following  are  some  of  the  oldest 
graves  I  find  there : 

Richard  Woolsey,  born  1697,  died  1777,  aged  80  years. 
Sarah  Fowler,  wife  of  Richard  Woolsey,  died  1770. 
Dr.   Abijah  Perkins,  died  Nov.   23,   1776,  aged   60  years. 
John  Stratton,  died  Dec.  1798,  73  years. 


306  History  of  Marlborough. 

Stephen  Case,  died  1T94,  aged  56  years. 

Nathaniel   DiiBois,   died   Apr.   1T88,  aged   30  years. 

Maj.  Lewis  DuBois,  born  Sept.  14,  1728,  died  Dec.  29,  1802. 
74  yrs. 

Daniel  Lockwood,  died  1801,  38  years. 

Jonathan  Brown,  died  1801,  74  years. 

Eeuben  Tooker,  died  Sept.  1807,'  63  years. 

John  Woolsey,  died  Dec.   12,  1815,  aged  82  years. 

Henry  Woolsey,  died  Feb.  1839,  aged  78  years.  (For  more 
than  half  a  century  prominently  identified  with  the  Methodist 
church.) 

John   Polhamus,   died   Oct.   1801,   aged    71   years. 

Edward  Conklin,  died  Apr.  1818,  aged  82  years. 

Michael  Wygant,  died  Sept.  1807,  aged  84  years. 

Mathew   Wygant,   died   Sept.   1831,   aged  8^  years. 

William  Soper,  died  Feb.  1837,  aged  68  years.  "Born  in 
Exeter,  England,  and  at  an  early  age  became  a  naturalized 
citizen,  and  held  several  offices  of  Honor  and  responsibility 
in  this  country." 

Charles  Millard,  died  April  1827,  aged  64  years.  '•'  He  sus- 
tained the  character  of  Good  Man^  and  for  more  than  twenty 
years  faithfully  dicharged  the  official  duties  of  leading  Elder 
and  Deacon  in  the  Presbyterian  church."  "  The  righteous  shall 
be   ia   everlasting  remembrance." 

Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Selah  Tuthill,  An  elect  Member 
of  Congress,  who  died  Sept.  7,  1821,  Ae.  49  years,  10  months, 
and  12  d'ys.     "  Cut  down  in  the  midst  of  life  and  usefulness." 

"In  Memory  of  Wolvert  Ecker,  who  died  Jan.  17,  1799; 
aged  67  years.  "A  inan  of  sorrow  and  acquainted  with  grief." — 
Isa.  53d,  3d. 

"No  more  shall  we  thy  much  lov'd  face  review; 
Adieu   forever,   \yest  of   friends,    adieu." 

Selah  Tuthill,  died  Oct.  1833,  aged  27  years.  (He  was  the 
editor  of  the  Milton  Pioneer.) 

Andrew   Cropsey,   Nov.   1824,  aged  69  years. 

John   Cropsey,   Nov.   1832,   aged   50   years. 

John  Duffield,  died  July  1822,  aged  78  years. 

Timothy  Wood,  died  Nov.  1853,  aged  89  years.  His  wives: 
Mary,  died  1816,  aged  46  years;  Cyntha,  1818,  56  years; 
Eleanor.  1840,   68  years. 

Jonathan  Cosnian,  died  Aug.  1823,  aged  62  vears. 


The  Ancient  Burial  Places,  307 

Eev.  James  Ostrum,  Sept.  17,  1871,  90  years.  "He  was  for 
63  years  a  faithful  and  useful  minister  of  the  gospel,  and  for 
several  years  the  beloved  pastor  of  this  village." 

John's.  Purdy,  died  Sept.  1856,  93  years. 

John  Fowler,  died  1827,  73  years. 

Gilbert   Fowler,   M.D.,   died    i8-22,   28   years. 

David  Merritt,  died   1817,   70   years. 


There  are  also  the  graves  of  Joseph  Ciomwell, 
Benoni  Clark,  James  Wygant,  Jonathan  Conklin, 
Daniel  Tooker,  Willielmns  DuBois,  Samuel  Carpen- 
ter, Nathaniel  Hiison,  John  Kniffiu,  Keiibeii  Bloomer, 
DIavid  Staples  (one  of  the  deacons  of  the  Lattintown 
Baptist  church),  John  D.  Wygant,  Thomas  Wygant, 
Capt,  Anthony  Wygant,  John  Marr,  Charles  Craft, 
John  Taylor,  David  Mackey,  Daniel  Pierce,  John 
Pembroke,  Georg^e  Hallett,  John  Dexter,  Austin  Mer- 
ritt, William  Rogers,  John  Conklin  and  John  Bloomer. 

There  have  been  more  interments  in  this  yard  than 
in  any  other  in  the  town,  but  very  few  of  the  earlier 
graves  are  marked.  I  find  by  an  ancient  record  that 
interments  were  commenced  a  month  before  the  deed 
was  given,  as  in  March,  1764,  two  children  of  James 
Merritt  and  one  of  Thomas  Silkworth  were  buried. 
February,  1766,  Elizabeth  Piatt,  wife  of  E.  Piatt,  the 
first  grown  person,  was  buried.  In  1770  and  1771 
several  deaths  from  small-pox  occurred.  December 
1774,  two  children  of  Jacob  Degroot,  who  were  burned 
to  death,  were  Imried.  November  26,  1776,  buried 
Dr.  Abijah  Perkins,  a  friend  to  this  society  and  a 
good  man."  August,  1777,  buried  George  Landon;  No. 
61  in  the  church  yard.  May,  1782,  Sarah,  ^ife  of 
Nathaniel  Drake;  No.  93;  August,  1784,  buried  Jane 
Pell,  aged  nearly  100.  December,  1782,  buried  T>hebe. 
wife  of  Peter  Purdy;   No.   95.     December   12,   1800, 


308  History  of  Marlborough. 

Annanias  Valentine,  Thomas  Pickney,  Isaae  Elliott, 
Jeremiah  Cropsey  and  Leonard  Merritt  were  drowned. 
They  were  buried  here. 

Up  to  and  including  1800  there  were  over  200 
interments  in  this  yard.  From  what  can  be  inferred 
a  large  number  of  people  must  have  been  buried  there 
up  to  the  present  time.  Some  thirty  or  forty  years 
since  a  considerable  tract  of  land  was  purchased  on 
the  south  of  the  old  yard,  laid  out  in  lots,  and  sold  to 
purchasers.  This  part  of  the  yard  is  well  kept  and 
contains  many  fine  monuments. 

In  the  Lattintown  Baptist  churchyard  I  find  among 
the  oldest  graves  the  following: 

Stephen   Staples,  died  April   1813,   56  years. 

Jonathan  Woolsey,  Nov.  1822,  67  years. 

Titus  Ketcham,   1818,   78  years. 

John  Mackey,  May  1818,  73  years. 

Nathaniel  Quimby,  May  1823,  77  years. 

N.  W.  Marr,  1832,  82  years. 

Samuel  Waters,  Nov.   1828,  87  years. 

Nathaniel  Benedict,  June  1825,  61  years.  Abigal,  his  wife, 
March   1862,   93  years. 

Joseph  Ehodes,  Dec.  1851,  93  years.  (A  soldier  of  the 
Eevolution. ) 

Aaron  N.   Staples,  Feb.   1847,  41  years. 

Zepheniah   Northrip,  Jan.   1846,   66  years. 

Curtis  Northrip,  May  1851,  47  years. 

James  Fowler,  Feb.  1839,  70  years. 

Oliver  Cosnian,  Sept.  1846,  52  years. 

"Deacon  of  the  Baptist  Church." 

Eichard    Caverly,   Apr.    1842,    64   years. 

George   Harper,   May   1842,   63   years. 

Noah  Woolsey,   1832,  82  years.  ' 

Gilbert  Kniffin,  June  1826,  82  years. 

William  St.  John,  Oct.  1841,  73  years. 

Henry  St.  John,   1820,  37  years. 

Nehemiah  L.  Smith,  Apr.  1819,  61  vears.  Lydia,  his  wife, 
1851,  80  years. 

William  Lyons,  Jan.  1836,  84  years. 

Sylvenus  Purdy,   1830,   68  years. 


The  Ancient  Burial  Places.  309 


William  Mitchell,  Mar.  1835,  76  years. 
Nathaniel  Harcourt,  June  1818,  70  years. 
l\ichard  Harcourt,  July   18;i7,  -±8  years. 


The  Quaker  or  Friends'  burying  ground  at  the 
Henry  H.  Hallock  place,  Milton,  was  bought  and  used 
originally  for  the  Friends  to  bury  their  dead.  The 
land  was  conveyed  to  the  Society  about  1780  by  Elijah 
Lewis,  and  in  1801  Lewis  conveyed  more  land  adjoin- 
ing for  the  same  purpose,  and  it  is  claimed  it  was 
afterward  enlarged.  All  the  original  Friends  were 
buried  there.  It  was  the  custom  among  Quakers  to 
put  field  stones  at  the  graves,  and  on  this  account  the 
oldest  graves  cannot  be  identified.  For  a  great  many 
years  all  who  chose  to  could  bury  their  dead  here,  and 
there  are  a  large  number  of  graves  that  have  no 
marks.  After  1828  the  Old  School  Quakers  bought  a 
lot  for  a  graveyard  of  Foster  Hallock  and  erected  a 
church.  That  society  has  since  buried  their  dead 
there.  The  New  School  or  Hicksites  continued  to  use 
the  old  yard.  Captain  Mann  and  the  two  Lieuten- 
ants, Edward  and  John  Ketcham,  are  buried  there, 
and  several  other  soldiers;  Dr.  Quick,  the  Shermans, 
the  ancient  Hallock  family,  and  many  of  the  best 
people  in  the  town  in  that  day  are  interred  there.  It 
is  a  lonely,  sequestered  spot,  shaded  with  tall  locust 
trees  and  a  large  old  chestnut  tree  is  still  standing 
there  which  was  left  when  the  original  forest  was  cut 
down.  It  is  several  hundred  years  old.  The  grave- 
yard is  seldom  seen  and  never  visited  except  by^  the 
friends  of  the  departed.  The  Quaker  yard  above 
spoken  of  has  been  the  burial  place  of  the  Friends 
since  1830.  Foster  and  George  Hallock  are  buried 
there,  and  other  Quakers  and  their  friends  have  used 
it  since  that  time.  It  adjoins  the  George  Hallock  pond 
and  is  a  nice,  quiet  place. 


310  History  of  Marlborough. 

The  Ei3iscoi3alians  at  Marlborough  have  a  yard  ad- 
joining their  church  which  is  well  kept,  and  contains 
the  graves  of  the  Buckleys  and  others.  It  was  not 
in  use  until  some  time  after  the  church  was  built. 

Most  of  the  older  yards  are  being  neglected.  The 
friends  of  the  departed  have  died,  moved  away  or 
descendants  have  forgotten  that  they  had  any  such 
ancestors.  In  many  places  in  this  state  societies  are 
formed  to  protect  and  take  care  of  such  places.  In 
Massachusetts,  the  towns  take  charge  of  the  ancient 
burial  places  and  pay  the  expenses  as  a  town  charge. 
Plots  or  maps  are  made  locating  each  grave,  and  the 
name  (when  it  can  be  learned),  and  all  in  such  a  man- 
ner that  the  location  will  be  known  for  a  long  time, — 
even  after  the  stone  is  gone.  In  riding  through  Mass- 
achusetts a  few  years  since,  I  observed  how  well  their 
yards  were  fenced  and  the  grounds  cleared  up.  I 
had  no  troul)le  in  finding  ancient  graves  of  former 
generations  that  I  sought.  It  may  be  thought  that  a 
great  deal  of  time  has  been  foolishly  spent  on  the 
graveyard  matter,  but  I  have  heard  from  so  many 
about  departed  relatives,  and  have  been  asked  so 
many  questions  by  strangers  who  visit  here,  that  I 
knew  this  account  would  be  pleasing  to  many  and  help 
them  verv  much  in  their  researches. 


Poll  List  in  1834. 

Poll  list  of  an  election  commencing  the  third  day  of 
November  in  the  year  1834  and  held  for  three  days 
in  the  town  of  Marlborough  in  the  County  of  Ulster. 

David  ]\rackey  Thomas  Cropsey 

Dennis  H.  Doile  John  Carlish 

Barnabass  Mapes  Job   Cropsey 

Eichard  Coligan  Solomon  Utter 

Ezra  Waring  Isaac  Tarwillegar 

Miles  I.   Fletcher  James  H.   Lonffbottom 


Poll  List  in  1834. 


311 


John  Buckley 

Richard  R.  Fowler 

James  Dickenson 

Leonard  S.  Carpenter 

Charles  Merritt 

Benjamin  F.  Patten 

George  Mabee 

Bartholomew      Van     Valken- 
burgh 

Martin  I.  Lawson 

Benjamin  Pettit 

Nathaniel  Huson 

William  Dolson 

Benjamin  Townsend 

George  Birdsall 

Robert  B.  Mapes 

Henry  Mabee 

William  Rogers 

William  ]\Lc-Ilrath 

William  Ellis 

Sylvenis  Purdy 

Jeremiah  Tarwillegar 

Daniel  G.  Russell 

William  Van  Vanlkenl)uro:h 

Andrew  Oddy 

Robert  Beebee 

Stephen  Van  A'alkenl}urgh 

James   Horton 

Asia  Conkling 

William  Kelly 

Peter  M.  Jones 

Richard  Rhoads 

Cors  Carpenter 

Henry  Lownsbury 

Purdy  Lownsbury 

Stephen   Staples 

David  Staples 

Gilbert  Caverly 

John  W.  Wygant 

David   i\Iorgan 

Henry  Cropsey 

Samuel  I.  Halsey 

George    Fetter 

Selah  Dickenson 


Joseph  Brook 
Timothy  Colegan 
Joseph  Plumpsted 
Joshua  Brook 
Charles  Brook 
Thomas  Shackleton 
Edmund  Melona 
Alexander  Cropsey 
Robert  Morgan 
George  Barnhart 
Charles  Tooker 
David   L    Merritt 
Henry  Plumpsted 
John   Wilklow 
Chas  Birdsall 
Carpenter  Caverly 
Philip  Caverly 
Joseph  Alore 
John  B.   Wygant 
Joseph  Hepworth 
Lewis  Young 
Uriah  Plumpsted 
John  T.  Ferguson 
Lewis  Supreme  Mungo 
Xathl  Wygant 
Burns   Wygant 
Daniel  Strait 
John  Woolsey 
Elias  Howell 
Ezekiel  Veely 
Barnard  Bond 
Eli  T.  Loekwood 
Charles  X.  Brown 
Henry  V.  Bont 
Elisha  Purely 
Jeremiah  Thorn 
Charles  G.  Jackson 
Jacob  Gidney 
Andrew  Ely 
Ebenezer   Crosby 
Barnard  Wygant 
Stephen  H.   Benjamin 
Gilbert  Thorn 
Thomas  Bingham 


312 


History  of  Marlborough. 


Daniel  S.  Birdsall 
William  W.  Lockwood 
William  Smith 
Jeremiah  Decker 
William  Holmes 
Joseph  Wygant 
Benjn  Rhoads 
Samuel  Lord 
Peter  Freer 
Daniel  Underwood 
Michael  Wygant 
Cors  Wygant 
Edward  Dubois 
Marcus  Dougherty 
Josiah  H.  Merritt 
James  Bloomer 
Eobert   Spence 
John  Lawson 
Samuel  Drake,  Ju^ 
Gabriel  Merritt 
Jefferson  Bloomer 
Daniel  Bloomer 
Justus  T.  Cumfort 
Peter  Purdy 
Stephen  Purdy 
Edwin  P.  Howell 
Stephen  Ehoads,  Jr 
Joseph  P.  Howell 
Lewis  Rhoads 
John  W.  Cropsey 
John  Decker 
Henry  Lownsbury,  Ju. 
Michael  Wygant  3 
Garrett  Dubois 
Nathaniel  Belly 
John  Degrote    . 
D.  W.  Woolsey 
Isaac  L.  Craft 
John  B.  Holdin 
Smith  Rhoads 
Robert  S.  Lockwood 
James  D.  Sloan 
Jonas  Fowler 
Remus  Woolsey 


Jacob  Poste 
James  Fowler,  Ju^ 
Benjamin  Hulse 
James  Sherman 
Jonas  Denton 
Israel  Halt 
William  Soper,  Ju"" 
David  R.  Ostrarder 
Henry  I^IcQuill 
Thomas  R.  Jones 
Joseph  L.  Donaldson 
Aaron  Bradbury 
James  Fowler 
Abraham  Tuttle 
Hiram  Lewis 
Augustus   H.   Conklin 
Cornelius  Bradbury 
John  Y.  Barrett 
Samuel  Herbert 
John  Bent 
Rufus  Rhoads 
John  Wood,  Jur 
Jacob  P.  Townsend 
Robert  Young 
Isaac  Fowler 
Nathaniel  Strait 
A.  D.  Soper 
Jacob  H.  Gillis 
Henry  King 
Anson  St.  John 
Eliphalet  Smith 
John  Davis 
Tuthill  Martin 
David  Sands 
Isaac  Quimby,  Jui" 
Levi  Mackey 
Nelson  Smith 
Simon   Ostrander 
Jacob  Lawson 
Henry  Hamblin 
Joel  Hornbeck 
Peter  Relyea 
Alfred  Lewis 
John  Sands 


Poll  List  in  1834. 


313 


Charles  L.  Marble 
Jeriah  Ehoads 
Elias  Mackey 
Benjamin  Anthony- 
Benjamin  Ehoads 
David  Selleck 
John  Belknap 
William  Hallock 
Nathaniel  Hallock 
James  Hull 
John  Hull 
Edward  Hallock 
Cornwell  S.  Eoe 
Ananias  Quick 
William  Yoinig 
Uriah  Coffin 
Nathaniel  Clark 
Eichard  T.  Woolsey 
Michael  Smith 
John  Dickinson 
David  Gidney 
Luther  Pratt 
John  Ehoads  3 
William  Gidney 
David  S.  Adams 
Matthew  Potter 
Thomas  Woolsey 
Oliver  H.  Smith 
Jacob  Eowley 
David  Brower 
Peter  Quimby 
Samuel  Stratten 
Daniel  Quick 
John  Sheffield 
David  A.  Hull 
Archibald    Ehoads 
Joseph   Sheffield 
Philip  Mackey 
Eeuben  D.  Mackey 
Daniel  Eowley 
Lorenzo  Hait 
Elijah  Lewis 
Nathaniel  Woolsey 
Jonathan  Kent 


Absalom  Barrett 
James  Denton 
Eeuben  B.  Drake 
Joseph  K.  Weede 
Thomas  (xriggs 
William   Dowe 
Stephen  B.  ^Mackey 
William  Coffin 
Oliver  C.  Hull 
Josiah  L.  Dowe 
Samuel  H.  Adams 
Allen  Lewis 
Josiah  Lockwood 
Isaac  Minard 
James  Malcolm 
John  Purdy 
John  T.  Hallock 
Albert  Fowler 
Eobert  T.  Hallock 
Peter  Lockwood 
James  Adderton 
AVilliam  Wendover 
Michael    Quimby 
Nathaniel  Harcourt 
Smith  Wood 
William  D.  Wygant 
Nathaniel  Dubois 
William  Eoat 
John  Stephens 
Stephen  Ehoads 
Isaac  B.  Purdy 
Hiram  Smith 
Hezekiah  H.  Mapes 
William  L.   Ehoads 
Nicholas  Belly 
William  Lynason 
Charles  King 
Jacob  Belly 
John  D.  Crook 
James  Quimby 
George  Wygant 
Thadeas  F.  Hait 
Peter  Vandermark 
James  Wvafant 


314 


History  of  Marlborough. 


Isaac  Merritt 
John  S.  Roe 
Cornelius  Ehoads 
Latting  Caverly 
Isaac  Winn 
John  S.  Wood 
Joseph  Harcourt 
William   Swart 
Anstin  Merritt 
Lewis  Ehoads 
Samuel  Ayres 
Benjamin  Kaywood 
Peter  Barnliart 
jSTathaniel  Woolsey  Ju 
John  S.  Purdy 
Anthony  Mackey 
William  L.  Mackey 
Philip  Fowler 
Frederick  Hadley 
Dennis  D.  Purdy 
Thomas  Smith 
Samuel  Drake 
Peter  H.  Caverly 
John  I.  Ehoads 
James  Hait,  Ju 
Adna  Hait 
Heman  Matine 
William  Lyon 
Hait  Benedict 
Abel  Smith 
Elias  M.  Mackey 
Stephen  H.  Smith 
Chester  Kniffin 
Jonas  Mackey 
Purdy   Hadley 
George  Hearst 
Jesse  Lyon 
Elett   Howel 
William  Ehoads 
William   Wygant 
John  Mabee 
Daniel  Lester 
James  Force 
Henrv  Cosman 


Mathew  T.  Wygant 
Hacaliah  Purdy 
John  Harris 
Jeremiah  Mackey 
Daniel   Kniffin 
Thomas  Mackey 
Thomas  S.  Mackey 
Gilbert  Conklin 
Abm  Young 
Uriah  Drake 
Charles  Caywood 
Isaac  Staples 
William   Lvon.  Ju^ 
Peter  T.  Knitfin 
Abm  Woolsey 
Francis  Mackey 
Daniel  St.  John 
Zadock  Ehoads 
John  Ehoads 
Uriah  D.  Quimby 
Isaac  Quimby 
Fowler  Quiml)y 
Joseph  Caywood 
Benj amine  Ayres 
Adolphas  Smith 
Thomas  Kniffin 
Lewis  Quick 
Charles  Wygant 
Denton  Smith 
Joseph  Stiles 
Oliver  Huson 
Lewis  Staples 
Chancy  ^^\vgant 
Harvy  Wygant 
Wygant  i\Ierritt 
Joseph  Merritt 
Lewis  Dubois 
William  Hull 
Levi  Crosby 
Eleazer  Gedney 
Oliver  Covert 
Eichard  Caverly 
David  M.  Hait" 
Xathaniel  Utter 


Poll  List  in  1834.  315 

John  B.  Porter  Allexander  Young 

Abel  A.   Hull  John  S.  Purday  '-ind 

John   Hull  Daniel   Tooker 

Oliver  Hull  James  Quimby,  Ju^' 

Jeremiah  ^lackey  Thomas  S.   Warren 

Joseph  Berryann  Pichard  Scoat 

Charles   Decker  Henry  Quick 

Allen   Quick  Zephaniah  Xorthrip 

Harvy  Quick  Hiram   Campbell 

Mathew  T.  Berryann  Cornelius  Quiml)y 
David  Young 

This  election  was  held  the  first  day  at  Marlbor- 
ough, the  second  day  at  Milton  and  the  third  day  at 
Lattintown.  This  can  be  readily  seen  by  examining 
the  names.     There  were  383  votes  cast. 

Will.  L.  Marcey,  for  governor,  received  231  votes 
and  Win.  H.  Seward  received  119.  At  that  time 
there  were  the  Democrat  and  Whigs  parties.  Marcey 
was  the  Democratic  nominee,  and  Seward  the  Whig. 
Marcey  had  eighty-five  majority  showing  how  strong 
the  Democrats  were  in  those  days.  The  ticket  ran 
about  the  same  for  all  the  rest  of  the  nominees.  I 
think  there  were  more  men  than  this  in  the  town  at 
that  time,  but  there  were  certain  qualifications  which 
prevented  all  from  voting. 

These  elections  were  held  all  over  the  State  in  the 
same  way,  occupying  three  days,  the  inspectors  going 
from  one  place  to  another  and  carrjdng  the  ballot 
boxes  with  them.  This  must  have  been  done  for  the 
convenience  of  the  voters,  as  it  provided  for  three 
polling  places  in  each  town,  or  could  be  made  avail- 
able for  that  purpose;  and  one  set  of  inspectors  did 
the  whole  work.  The  worst  feature  about  this  man- 
ner of  voting  would  be  the  opportunity  it  afforded 
to  tamper  with  the  liallots  after  they  were  deposited 
in  the  ballot  box.  The  first  two  nights  of  such  an 
election,  the  boxes  must  have  been  taken  in  charge 
by   one   of   the   inspectors,   most   likely   taken   to   the 


316  HisTOEY  OF  Marlborough. 

house  of  one  of  the  inspectors,  unless  all  the  inspec- 
tors sat  up  with  the  boxes,  and  even  then,  if  the  in- 
spectors were  mercinary,  they  could  have  opened  the 
boxes  and  tampered  with  the  l)allots,  and  made  most 
any  return  of  the  votes  which  they  chose.  Under  this 
system  of  voting,  it  would  not  be  necessary  to  buy  up 
the  voters.  It  would  be  so  much  easier  and  cheaper 
to  buy  up  the  inspectors ;  and  the  inspectors,  un- 
doubtedly, were  no  better  or  worse  than  the  other 
voters,  and  equally  purchaseable,  though  they  would 
have  wanted  more  money.  Isn't  it  funny  when  you 
think  of  it? 


Edward  Hali.ock  Ketch  am. 


CHAPTER  XIL 

Marlborough  in  the  Civil.  War. 

Marlborough,  like  all  her  sister  towns,  and  the 
natioii  at  large,  was  startled  and  astounded  when  war 
was  precipitated  ])y  the  attack  upon  Fort  Sumpter  by 
armed  rebels.  President  Lincoln's  immediate  proc- 
lamation calling  for  75,000  volunteers  was  responded 
to  by  some  from  this  town. 

The  20th  Regiment  of  Militia,  after  its  three 
months'  service,  returned  home  and  immediate  steps 
were  taken  to  organize  it  into  a  regiment  of  volun- 
teers for  three  years'  service  in  the  war.  It  left  Kings- 
ton October  25,  1861,  Geo.  W.  Pratt,  Colonel,  for  its 
journey  to  the  seat  of  war,  as  the  80th  New  York 
Volunteers.  The  next  regiment  from  the  county  was 
the  120th,  Colonel  Geo.  H.  Sliarpe.  This  regiment 
left  Kingston  for  the  front  Sunday,  August  2-4,  18()2. 
Lieutenant  Edward  Ketcham  and  liis  men  were  with 
it, —  many  of  the  people  flocked  to  Kingston  to  see 
them  off,  and  to  extend  to  them,  as  it  afterward 
proved,  a  last  *'  goodbye."  The  approach  of  the 
steamer,  Manhattan,  on  its  trip  down  the  river  with 
the  regiment  was  watched  from  the  shores  about  the 
town  by  a  large  number  of  the  people. 

The  next  regiment,  the  156th,  commanded  by  Eras- 
tus  Cook,  left  for  the  front  in  December,  1862,  Lieu- 
tenant William  J.  Piirdy  and  his  men  were  from  the 
town.  All  of  these  recruits  were  mostly  from  Ulster 
county  and  were  enlisted  for  three  years  or  during 
the  war.  The  larger  part  of  the  enlistments  from 
this  town  were  in  these  regiments ;  the  other  recruits 
were  scattered  among  many  organizations.  No  at- 
tempt will  be  given  to  tell  of  the  war  or  the  services 

[317] 


318  HisTOEY  OF  Marlborough. 


these  regiments  performed.  It  is  all  recorded  iu  his- 
tory and  accesible  to  everyone. 

Many  are  still  living  in  the  town  who  well  remember 
how  all  anxiously  awaited  any  news  from  the  seat  of 
war.  They  thronged  around  the  post-office  when  the 
mails  came,  anxiously  waiting  for  the  daily  papers, 
and  for  the  letters  from  dear  ones ;  and  when  the  news 
of  a  great  battle  arrived,  the  anxiety  of  the  people 
was  great  to  hear  who  had  fallen. 

The  battles  of  Antietam  and  Gettysburg  produced 
great  sorrow  in  many  homes.  When  the  friends  of 
those  who  were  slain  w^ere  so  fortunate  as  to  obtain 
the  bodies  of  the  dead  for -burial  here,  whole  neigh- 
borhoods turned  out  to  pay  their  last  tribute  of  love 
and  respect  to  the  fallen  heroes. 

The  impaired  currency,  specie  driven  out  of  circu- 
lation, gold  bought  and  sold,  —  the  same  as  any  other 
commodity,  paper  money  of  all  denominations,  the 
fractional  part  of  a  dollar  called  shin  plasters,  flooded 
the  country.  There  were  high  prices  for  everything, 
all  tliis  and  many  other  things  will  be  remembered. 
Almost  five  j'ears  of  strife,  the  North  contending 
against  the  South,  armies  marching  up  and  down  the 
land,  property  by  the  millions  of  dollars  worth  de- 
stroyed, lands  and  towns  laid  waste,  thousands  of 
men  shot  to  death  on  the  fields  of  battle,  thousands 
more  dying  in  the  prisons  of  the  Union  and  Confeder- 
ate armies,  commerce  destroyed,  credit  impaired, 
battles  won  and  lost,  mourning  in  almost  every  home 
north  and  south,  families  divided  in  opinion  and  in 
service  in  the  war,  then  the  surrender  of  the  south 
and  great  rejoicing  throughout  the  north  soon  to  be 
followed  by  the  assasination  of  our  beloved  President 
Lincoln  plunging  the  nation  again  in  sadness  and 
sorrow^;  these  were  some  of  the  results  of  the  Civil 
war. 

But  the  fact  was  established  for  all  time  that  this 


Marlborough  in  the  Civil  War.  319 


country  was  to  be  a  Union  of  all  the  states  "  one  and 
inseparable;"  all  thereafter  to  act  together  as  one 
nation  for  the  common  good,  and  all  the  states  to  be 
subordinate  to  the  national  authority.  The  faUacy  of 
state  rights  was  dead,  never  to  be  contended  for 
again.  The  curse  of  slavery  was  wiped  out,  and  ours 
had  become  a  nation  of  soldiers  in  numbers  and  skill 
sufficient  to  protect  itself  against  all  the  woi'ld. 

The  elo(pient  and  patriotic  record  of  two  of  our 
soldiers  are  here  given.  They  show  spirit,  devotion 
and  patriotism  seldom  eciualed  and  we  are  glad  to  re- 
cord their  virtues : 

EDWARD  HALLOCK  KETCILUI. 


>oni  in  Miltoiij  N.  Y.,  December  twentij-seventJi ,  eighteen 
hundred  and  thirty- five,  entered  the  service  of  his  country, 
at  Kingston,  August  nineteenth,  eighteen  hundred  and 
sixty-two;  commissioned  second  lieutenant,  Co.  A.,  One 
Hundred  and  Tiventieth  Regiment,  Infantry,  N.  Y.  V.; 
Tcilled  at  Gettysburg,  July  second,  eighteen  hundred  and 
sixty-three;  buried  on  the  battle-field;  remains  subse- 
quently exhumed,  and  reinterred  in  the  Friends'  Burial 
Ground  at  Milton,  N.  Y. 


JOHN  TOWN  SEND  KETCH  AM. 


Born  in  Jericho,  L.  I.,  January  twelfth,  eighteen  hundred  and 
thirty-eight ;  entered  the  service  of  his  country,  in  New 
York  City,  February  sixth,  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty- 
three ;  commissioned  second  lieutenant,  'Co.  M.,  Fourth 
Regiment,  Cavalry,  N.  Y.  V.;  taken  prisoner,  and  died  in 
Libby  Prison  October  eighth,  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty- 
three;  remains  rettirned  to  his  friends,  and  reinterred  in  the 
Friends'  Burial  Ground,  at  Milton,  N.  Y. 

Of  the  3^oung  men  of  the  town  of  Marlborough  who 
answered  to  their  country's  call,  there  were  no  braver 


320  History  of  Marlborough. 

or  better  men  than  Edward  H.  and  John  T.  Ketcham; 
their  conduct  and  the  manner  of  their  deaths  lend  a 
halo  to  their  memory.  They  were  sons  of  David  and 
Martha  T.  (Hallock)  Ketcham.  At  the  commence- 
ment of  the  war  their  father  was  dead,  and  they 
were  the  only  children.  They  lived  with  their  mother 
on  their  farm  at  Milton.  From  infancy  opposed  to 
slavery  and  zealous  for  the  rights  of  man,  and  know- 
ing or  recognizing  only  one  nation  and  country,  the 
commencement  of  the  rebellion  found  them  not  only 
strong  abolitionists  but  uncompromising  Union  men, 
and  although  the  teachings  of  their  ancestors  for  many 
generations  had  been  for  peace,  yet  they  recognized 
in  this  struggle  that  peace  would  not  do;  that  there 
were  some  things  in  this  world  that  peace,  the  gospel 
and  religion  would  never  accomplish,  and  that  in  the 
coming  struggle  nothing  but  war,  cruel  and  bitter  war, 
could  accomplish  freedom  and  preserve  the  unity  of 
the  nation.  At  the  commencement  of  the  struggle 
they  were  both  anxious  to  enter  the  service,  but  their 
duty  to  their  widowed  mother  restrained  them,  yet 
the  feeling  grew  upon  them ;  it  haunted  their  thoughts 
by  day  and  their  dreams  by  night,  and  they  deter- 
mined that  one  at  least  should  go  into  the  service  and 
the  lot  fell  ui^on  Edward  the  elder.  A  few  months 
later,  John  could  not  restrain  himself  longer  and  he 
went  to  the  front.  Edward  was  killed  at  Gettysburg; 
he  was  the  first  man  killed  in  the  regiment.  It  was 
on  the  second  day  of  the  battle  and  his  regiment  was 
exposed  to  great  danger.  Officers  and  men  to  the 
number  of  427  were  present,  204  of  whom  were  killed 
or  wounded.  Many  other  men  of  Ulster  county  gave 
their  young  lives  on  that  eventful  day.  No  prouder 
thing  can  be  said  of  anyone  than  that  he  died  while 
h-elping  to  hold  the  line  of  battle  for  his  country  at 
the  great  battle  of  Gettysburg.  It  will  be  told  in  re- 
membrance of  them  by  coming  generations,  and  their 


./(>ll.\      I'oW.XSKM)     Kl-TfllAM. 


Marlborough  in  the  Civil  Wah.  321 


deeds  will  be  proclaimed  in  song  and  story  by  a 
grateful  people  yet  unborn.  I  feel  that  this  history 
would  be  incomplete  unless  something  was  said  of 
them,  and  perhaps  nothing  could  be  better  than  to 
reprint  some  of  the  letters  they  wrote  their  mother. 

Manasses  Junction,  Nov.  18th,  1862. 

Dear  Mother:  I  wrote  home  and  said  that  I  was  sick;  but  I 
am  very  happ}'  to  say  that  I  am  a  great  deal  better;  in  fact, 
about  well.  So  don't  feel  uneas}',  for  nothing  short  of  a  rebel 
bullet  will  kill  me,  I  think.  We  are  now  all  the  time  expecting 
orders  to  march,  to  what  place  I  do  not  pretend  to  know;  but 
the  knowing  ones  say,  to  Fredericksburg,  which,  from  every 
indication  and  the  situation  of  our  forces,  I  think  not  unlikely. 
*  *  *  I  have  faith  that,  when  the  war  is  ended,  I  shall  be 
home  again  all  right,  and  I  only  fear  that  I  shall  find  thee  the 
worse  for  the  worry  and  anxiety  that  I  know  are  bestowed  on 
me.  Don't  for  heaven's  sake,  fret  and  worry,  on  my  account, 
if  for  no  other  reason;  because  I  want  to  see  ni})  mother  when 
I  come  back  (if  it  is  my  fortune  to  do  so,)  as  I  left  her,  not 
broken  down  with  useless  anxiety  on  my  account;  so  be  as 
cheerful  as  possible,  and  think,  if  it  should  be  my  lot  to  be 
among  those  who  are  never  to  return,  that  I  shall  die  doing  my 
duty;  and  that  is  the  way  a  man  should  die;  for  die  he  must, 
and  a  few  years  more  or  less  don't  make  much  difference,  so 
that  when  the  end  comes  it  finds  us  at  our  posts  with  our 
harness  on  our  backs.  It  is  not  the  business  of  a  man's  life  to 
devote  himself,  simply,  to  saving  that  life ;  but  to  do  his  duty, 
whatever  it  may  l)e,  and  let  life  take  care  of  itself.  So  in 
either  event  don't  feel  uneasy  about  me,  for  I  have  no  fear 
for  myself,  and  I  do  not  wish  any  one  to  worry  uselessly  for 
me.  So,  hurrah  for  the  second  grand  army !  It  is  going  to 
do  its  duty,  and  it  won't  be  sacrificed  to  strategy,  thank  God, 
Avith  Burnside  and  Abraham  Lincoln. 

Affectionately,  thy  son, 

E.  H.  KETCHAM. 


Old  Camp  near  Falmouth,  Dec.  17th,  1862. 
Dear  Mother  and  Brother: 

The  last  letter  I  wrote  home,  was  dated  "  Field  of  Battle," 
*     *     *     But  enough  of  this  fight.     I  am  alive  and  well,  and 
11 


322  History  of  Marlborough. 

never  felt  better.  I  can  sleep  with  or  withoiit  blankets ;  with 
or  without  tent;  with  or  without  fire;  with  or  without  rain,  in 
the  middle  of  December;  and  come  out  next  morning,  lively 
as  ever,  and  don't  mind  it. 

I  have  never  known  what  it  was  to  really  suffer,  from  hunger 
or  cold;  and  I  know  that  soldiers'  letters,  (officers  included) 
are,  nine  times  out  of  nine,  one-half  exaggerations.  So,  don't 
believe  the  stories  that  will,  doubtless,  innocently  and  in  good 
faith,  be  sent  back  to  Milton,  by  the  boys  who  came  from  there; 
for,  in  the  eyes  of  some,  a  mole  hill  is  a  mountain.  Don't 
think  that,  because  I  am  an  officer,  I  fare  better  than  they. 
When  it  comes  hard  times  in  the  field,  there  is  no  difference  to 
speak  of;  only  the  men  drew  rations  on  the  field  and  the 
officers  did  not.  I  had  bread  and  meat  in  my  haversack,  how- 
ever, when  I  got  back.  We  have  got  our  tents  and  baggage,  and 
are  comfortable;  and  I  have  no  trouble  on  my  mind,  except  a 
fear  that  my  mother  may  worry  herself  sick,  on  my  account, 
though  I  hope  she  may  not.  Don't  think  I  am  going  to  be 
killed  or  wounded.  It  is  all  nonsense  to  borrow  trouble  from 
the  future.  I  will  live,  if  I  am  to  live,  and  die  if  I  am  to  die; 
which,  I  suppose,  I  shall  some  day — if  not  on  the  battle- 
field; and  it  is  only  a  question  of  time.  Next  time  we  cross 
the  Rappahannock,  I  guess  it  will  be  a  sure  go;  so,  hurrah  for 
Burnside,   and   our  army  I 

Affectionally,  your  son,  and  brother, 

E.  W.  KETCHAM. 


He  Advises  His  Brother  Not  to  Enter  the  Service. 
Camp  near  Falmouth,  Ya.,  Jan.  11th,  1863. 
Dear  Jack : 

I  received  a  letter  from  you  by  Col.  Sharpe,  and  you  may 
suppose  I  was  somewhat  surprised.  *  *  *  Our  mother,  in 
her  declining  years,  has  a  right  to  one  of  her  sons,  at  least, 
and  when  I  left  home  I  thought  that  you  would  stay.  You 
remember,  when  the  war  first  broke  out,  that  we  cast  lots,  which 
should  stay;  it  fell  on  you,  and  though  it  may  come  tough,  stay 
like  a  man,  and  don't  murmur.  Jack !  I  may  fall  a  victim 
to  rel)el  bullets,  or  disease,  that  strikes  oftener  and  harder.  I 
want  you  to  stay  at  home,  and  save  our  name  and  race;  for 
it  is  at  least  worth  saving,  and  trust  us,  in  spite  of  the  dis- 
aster at  Fredericksburg,  to  put  it  through  and  save  the  nation. 
We  have  changed  camp  to  a  lovely  spot,  and  I  have  a  com- 
fortable shanty;  about  eight  feet  by  fourteen,  and  a  good  fire- 


He  Advises  His  Brother  Not  to  Enter  Service.     323 

place  and  chimney,  and  am  as  comfortable  as  you  need  wish  to 
see  a  soldier ;  but  it  may  be  for  one  day,  or  it  may  be  a  month, 
no  one  can  tell.      I  must  close  in  time  for  the  mail. 
Affectionately,  your  brother, 

EDWARD  KETCHAM. 


Camp  near  Falmouth,  \-d.,  Feb.  IStli,  1863. 
Dear  Mother: 

I  received  a  letter  from  thee  and  John  yesterday,  and  one 
from  him  to-day.  I  know,  of  course,  it  must  come  hard  to  thee 
to  part  with  him,  and  be  left  alone ;  but,  still  thee  has  kind  and 
sympathizing  friends,  who  will  do  all  that  they  possibly  can, 
to  make  thy  hard  lot,  as  I  may  call  it,  easy.  Xow,  perhaps,  it 
will  somewhat  soften  thy  grief,  if  I  tell  thee  that  the  hardships 
of  war  are  greatly  exaggerated.  I  have  seen  men,  who  told 
awful  stories  of  their  sufferings  in  their  campaign  before  Eich- 
mond,  brought  to  admit,  that  what  they  were  then  enduring 
equaled  any  suffering  they  had  before  met  with.  Now,  I  have 
never  yet  seen  the  three  consecutive  hours,  when  I  suffered 
either  from  cold,  heat,  thirst,  or  hunger;  or  much  on,accoimt 
of  fatigue.  Now,  soldiers,  as  a  rule,  like  to  be  heroes ;  in  fact, 
that  brought  a  large  share  of  them  here,  and  if  they  don't 
exaggerate  consideral)ly,  in  their  letters  home,  why,  their  friends 
would  not  have  a  chance  to  indulge  in  hero-worship !  Thus, 
it  comes,  that  wonderful  stories  are  told;  and  then  it  is  natural 
to  make  any  transaction  of  their  own  as  big  as  possible,  to  some 
people ;  so,  the  big  yarns  find  their  way  home.  "  Never  believe 
but  half  a  traveler  tells  you,"'  is  a  pretty  safe  rule;  but  when 
you  come  to  a  soldier,  why,  reject  two-thirds  and  trim  the 
balance.  Doubtless  the  wounded  and  sick  have  suffered;  but 
I  believe  that  the  instances  where  the  well  soldier  has  suffered 
to  any  great  extent  are  scarce;  never  from  hunger;  except,  per- 
haps, when  the  baggage-trains  have  been  lost  or  captured. 

But  what  if  we  do  suffer  some,  occasionally,  what  does  it  all 
amount  to  ?  Who  expects  to  go  through  life,  gathering  roses, 
from  which  the  thorns  have  been  plucked?  The  back  should 
be  shaped  to  the  burden.  Mother,  to  tell  the  truth,  I  did 
cherish  a  hope  that  Jack  would  be  disappointed  in  getting  off; 
but  it  seems  I  was  disappointed.  I  hoped  this  only  on  thy 
account;  for  I  believe  these  times,  and  this  war,  call  for  just 
such  men  as  he ;  and,  though  he  is  my  only  brother,  and  I  know 
full  well  his  value,  I  would  not  have  had  him  prove  himself 
not  what  I  thought  him,  even  if,  by  so  doing,  he  had  staid  at 


324  History  of  Maelboeough. 


home.  I  wish  the  necessity  were  not;  l)ut,  as  it  is,  if  he  had 
chosen  to  stay  at  home,  it  would  have  gone  far  to  prove  that 
he  was  not  worth  coming.  He  may  live  to  return  a  hero,  or, 
he  may  die  a  martyr.  But,  in  either  event,  he  will  have  lived 
and  done  his  duty,  and  he  who,  when  death  looks  him  in  the 
face,  can  say,  in  truth,  I  have  done  my  duty,  has  lived  a  life- 
time, though  the  blood  of  youth  still  courses  through  his  veins. 

Lovingly,  thy  son, 

EDWAED  H.  KETCHAM. 


Camp  near  Falmouth.  :\Iay  12th,  1863. 
My  dear  Mother: 

I  wrote  to  thee  from  the  Ijattle-field,  after  we  had  come  out  of 
the  fight,  and  telegraphed  to  thee;  and  again  after  we  had 
recrossed  the  river.  If  thee  received  either,  I,  of  course,  do 
not  know;  but  I  will  repeat  the  vital  part  of  both.  Jack  and 
I  are  close  together  once  more ;  both  well  and  hearty.  This  old 
camp  was,  during  last  winter,  a  pleasant  place.  Winter  has 
gone,  and  the  quiet  and  repose,  that  were  then  not  only  endur- 
able but  somewhat  pleasant  are  so  no  longer;  and  I  shall  be 
truly  glad  when  we  shall  leave  it,  for  good;  I  can  bid  good  bye 
to  the  old  log  cabin  without  regret.  Mother,  the  short  cam- 
paign, which  we  have  just  passed  through  was  one  of  hard- 
ship; but,  to  me,  its  hardest  experience  was  mere  play;  I  am 
able  to  stand  just  such,  for  six  months,  without  inconvenience. 
God  help  the  army  of  the  Potomac,  if  we  are  ever  so  hard- 
worked  that  I  give  out;  for  there  are  few  that  can  stand  the 
pressure  after  that.  IMother,  this  time  spent  here  is  not  lost 
time  —  I  mean  I  personally  sacrifice  nothing.  I  have  often 
thought  that  old  age,  that  has  no  experience  of  hardship  or 
adventure  to  fall  back  on,  when  the  time  comes  that  we  live 
in  the  past  as  I  now  do  in  the  future,  must  be  somewhat 
barren.  If  I  come  out  all  right,  and  do  not  fail  to  do  my  duty, 
just  the  experience  of  the  last  nine  months  I  would  not  part 
with  for  all  the  wealth  of  New  York  City. 

It  is  commonly  thought  that  a  soldier's  life  is  rather  cal- 
culated to  demoralize.  I  do  not  believe  it.  It  may  appear  so 
on  the  surface ;  but  there  is  many  a  man  here  in  this  army,  who 
has  never  thought  a  serious  thought  before,  who  thinks  now, 
and,  when  he  goes  back  to  home  and  friends,  he  will  go  back 
to  realize  that  there  is  something  for  him  to  live  for  besides 
himself.    It  does  men  good  to  suffer  for  a  good  cause.    Tt  some- 


Notes  on  the  March  from  Falmouth.         325 


how  identifies  them  witli  it;  and,  as  one  good  cause  is  linked 
with  everything  else  that  is  good  and  noble,  a  man  in  fighting 
for  liberty  somehow  fights  his  way  to  goodness.  The  general 
effect  on  the  men  here  will  be  humanizing,  and  with  peace  — 
an  honorable  one  as  we  mean  to  win  —  will  come  national 
virtue.  It  is  a  tough  sight,  for  one  who  looks  only  on  the 
surface,  to  see  the  noblest  and  the  bravest  of  the  land,  limping 
and  bleeding,  and  dying,  as  I  saw  them  on  the  field  of  battle. 
But,  when  you  look  upon  a  man  who  died  stoutly  doing  his 
duty,  and  can  realize  that  he  died  to  save  something  better 
than  life,  it  does  not  seem  so  awful  as  it  would.  It  was  an 
awful  picture  we  looked  upon  the  other  day ;  but  it  had  a  l^right 
as  well  as  a  dark  side.  There  were  many  brave  men  who  saw 
the  last  of  earth,  on  that  battle-field  of  ChancellorvillCj  and 
many  tears  will  flow,  for  many  a  year.  But,  what  are  these 
tears,  to  the  bitter  ones  a  mother  sheds  over  an  erring  son,  out 
of  whom  everything  good  has  died,  and  only  his  body  lives. 
If  we  were  whipped  at  Chancellorville,  as  the  Copperheads  say 
we  were,  I  think  such  getting  whipped,  on  our  part,  will  soon 
use  up  the  Confederacy.  Their  loss  must  have  been  fearful; 
for  they  came  up,  time  after  time,  right  in  front  of  our  bat- 
teries, closed  en  masse,  and  were  just  let  to  come  close  enough, 
when  our  guns,  double-shotted  with  grape,  would  pile  them 
in  heaps,  and  send  them  back,  utterly  cut  to  pieces.  This  was 
not  only  one  occurrence,  but  it  was  done  over  and  over  again. 
But  I  must  stop. 

Affectionately,  thy  son, 

EDWAED  KETCHAM. 


Notes   ox   the   March    from    Falmouth. 

14th. —  Fell  in.  and  marched  to  Eappahannock  Station ;  we 
then  rested  till  daylight.  At  six  o'clock  we  started  and  marched 
back  to  Mount  Holly  Church,  near  Kelley's  Ford,  on  the  very 
road  we  had  come  over  the  day  before;  met  Jack  there,  and 
as  we  lay  close  together,  I  spent  the  day  with  him.  Started  at 
sundown,  and  marched  all  night,  till  seven  in  the  morning, 
when  we  halted  at  Catlett's  Station ;  marching  thence  till  we 
got  to  Eappahannock  Station,  over  the  same  road  which  we 
had  passed  twice  before. 

15th. —  Halted  at  Catlett's  Station,  a  distance  of  eighteen 
miles;  lay  there  till  two  o'clock,  when  we  marched  to  ]\Ian- 
nassas  Junction,  a  distance  of  eleven  miles ;  making  in  all  we 


326  History  of  Marlborough, 

marched,  thirty  miles  in  about  twenty-four  hours.  Here  we 
encamped  for  the  night,  or  rather  ])ivouacked. 

16th. —  Lay  still  until  the  afternoon,  when  we  moved  half 
a  mile,  and  pitched  our  tents.  A  day  of  rest  put  us  in  order 
for  another  march. 

17th. —  Started  about  ten  o'clock,  and  marched  about  two 
miles,  when  we  halted  at  Bull  Bun  Creek,  (below  the  bridge  of 
the  railroad,  said  to  have  been  built  by  Beauregard,  to  take 
supplies  to  Centreville.)  The  bridge  above  the  railroad  was 
the  scene  of  the  chief  fighting  in  '61.  The  trees  are  here 
marked  occasionally  by  bullets  and  cannon  Ijalls.  The  valley, 
that  the  stream  runs  through,  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  I 
ever  saw.  The  trees  grow  almost  as  luxuriously  as  in  the 
tropics.  One  old  fellow  branches  out  into  ten  distinct  limbs, 
a  few  feet  above  the  ground ;  any  one  of  the  ten  might  pass  for 
a  respectable  tree.  I,  as  well  as  half  the  army  here,  took  a 
good  bath ;  we  rested,  and  dined  under  the  shade  of  those  old 
trees,  as  large  as  giants ;  a  cool  l)reeze  was  blowing  at  the  time. 
It  was  hard  to  think  that  this  beautiful  valley  was  an  historic 
one,  because  of  the  stream  that  runs  through  it  once  having 
been  red  with  human  blood.  It  is  but  a  few  days  less  than  two 
years,  since  the  battle  of  Bull  Run  was  fought;  and  now,  if  I 
did  not  know  it,  I  could  pass  through  without  seeing  anything 
to  tell  that  it  had  ever  been  else  than  as  peaceful  as  now.  We 
cressed   Bull   Eun   at   Blackburn's   Ford. 

18th. —  Eested,  and  looked  about  us.  Centreville  is,  or 
was,  a  nice  little  village  of  a  dozen  houses;  it  stands  on  a 
hill,  and  the  coimtry  around  reminds  me  of  Chestnut  Ridge, 
Dutehess  Co. 

19th. —  Packed  about  ten  o'clock,  and  started  on  the  road 
toward  Leesburg.  We  guarded  the  train  of  the  3d  Corps.  I 
had  command  of  the  company,  and  posted  one  man  with  every 
■wagon,  till  the  men  were  used  up.  We  passed  through  a  nice 
country,  pretty  well  wooded.  There  was  good  evidence  that 
troops  had  passed  through ;  though  the  country  had  not  been 
much    disturbed.     *     *     *_ 


Camp  near  Falmouth,  March  15th,  1863. 
Dear  Mother 

I  enclose  this  little  scrap  in  Ed's  letter.  I  found,  to  my 
surprise,  when  we  arrived  here,  that  Ed  had  been  over  here  at 
our  camp,  looking  for  me.  *  *  *  -^yg  ^j-g  camped  in  a 
beautiful  piece  of  wood,  "  i.  e."  it  was,  before  it  was  made  for 


Edwaed's  Last  Lettee  to  His  Mother.         327 


a  camp ;  Imt  eonsideral)ly  chewed  up  now.  A  road  runs  before 
our  compauv  street;  the  mud  is  just  even  with  the  tops  of  your 
boots  when  you  step  in  it;  six  mules  have  to  look  sharp  to  get 
along  with  a  light  load ;  and  either  side  of  the  road  the  soil  is 
as  nice  and  dry  as  the  "  long  pond  "  w^oods  in  summer.  There 
is  no  discount  on  Virginia  mud;  it  takes  about  a  pint  of  water 
and  a  little  mixing,  to  make  a  cart  load  of  it,  about  like  graft- 
ing wax.  It  is  grand  soil  here :  not  a  stone  to  be  found  in 
miles;  very  little  swamp;  nice  hills  and  valleys;  but  all  covered 
with  pine  forest ;  some  splendid  white-wood.  This  is  l:)Ound  to 
be  a  fine  country  yet;  a  splendid  farming  country,  I  have  ]io 
doul)t.  very  different  from  the  Iianks  of  the  Potomac  west  of 
Washington.  *  *  *  j  ^..^^^  hardly  realize  yet  that  I  am 
with  the  grand  army ;  it  is  like  Yankee  Doodle,  who  could  not 
see  the  town,  there  were  so  many  houses.  Get  up  on  a  hill, 
though,  and  you  see  cities  and  towns  and  villages  of  white  tents 
on  every  hill-side.  The  army,  I  should  suppose,  covers  an 
area  of  fifty  square  miles,  so  we  cannot  see  much  of  it.  I  saw 
the  flag  at  general  head-quarters,  opposite  Fredericksburg,  the 
other  night,  in  a  splendid  sunset,  from  where  I  stood ;  the  sun 
set  just  behind  the  flag;  somehow  I  was  reminded  of  Whittier's 
lines  — 

"  We  wait,  beneath  the  furnace  bhist. 

The  pangs  of  transformation ; 
Not  painlessly  does  God  recast. 

And  mould  anew,  the  nation!" 

although  l)y  what  I  could  not  tell,  unless  by  the  lurid  color  of 
the  sky,  the  black  clouds,  and  the  old  banner  sailing  so  bravely 
on   their  background. 

Good  night  Mother ;  take  good  care  of  thyself,  and  be  of 
good  cheer.  Aunt  Sarah  wrote  me,  thee  bears  thy  grief,  as 
I  knew  thee  would,  and  does  not  sink  down  under  it,  as  others, 
who  did  not  know  thee  as  well  as  I  do,  thought  thee  would. 
Keep  good  courage  while  the  good  fight  lasts,  and  I  pray 
God  to  help  thee,  and  to  make  me  equal  to  the  work  before 
me.     *     *     * 

Love  to  all, 

JOHN". 


Edward's  Last  Lettee  to  His  Mother. 

"  Gum  Springs,"  June  23rd,  1863. 
We  are  still  at  this  place ;  I  think  we  shall  probably  stay  a 
day  or  two ;  I  have  not  vet  heard  from  John  since  the  fighting 


328  History  of  Marlborough. 


on  the  17th;  but  his  regiment  was  engaged.  There  was  more 
fighting  on  the  day  before  yesterday.  I  have  not  yet  heard 
if  his  regiment  was  in  it.  I  know  well,  if  he  was,  he  did  his 
duty,  and  hope  he  is  all  right.  I  tried  mighty  hard  to  get  a 
paper  yesterday;  Init  could  not;  so,  without  knowing,  I  hope 
for  the  best, —  which  is  certainly  the  best  way.  I  expect  Mil- 
ton is  now  dressed  in  its  garments  of  purple  and  green,  .the 
dress  it  wears  in  June;  and  among  its  green  leaves  and  bright 
flowers,  the  young  almost  forget  that,  down  here  in  Old  Vir- 
ginia, men  are  marching  and  fighting  and  dying,  and  thinking 
of  home  and  friends.  But  there  are  few  that  can  think  of  the 
M^ar  without  thinking  of  some  friend  tramping  through  the 
valleys  and  over  the  hills  of  old  Virginia.  Pshaw!  we  don't 
need  pity;  I  am  talking  nonsense.  It  is  only  the  young  and 
strong  at  home,  who  feel  that  this  fight  needs  their  help,  while 
circumstances  they  cannot  control  keep  them  away,  that  are 
deserving  pity ! 

I  have  just  seen  Captain  Mann,  on  his  way  to  Washington. 
He  was  wounded  very  seriously  in  the  day  before  yesterday's 
fight.  Jack  was  not  hurt  in  either  fight.  The  mail  is  just 
going. 

Thy  son, 

EDWARD  H.  KETCHAM. 


Frederick  City,  July  8th,  1863. 
Dear  Mother: 

I  telegraphed  to  thee  as  soon  as  I  could,  and  wrote  about 
Edward.  I  cannot  realize  that  he  is  dead.  Don't  let  it  kill 
thee,  mother !  Thee  and  I  are  all  that  is  left  of  us.  Edward 
was  the  first  man  killed  in  the  regiment.  They  were  lying  on 
the  ground,  behind  a  little  hill,  in  front  of  our  batteries,  mak- 
ing a  part  of  the  outer  line  of  battle.  It  is  always  necessary 
in  such  times  for  some  one  to  keep  a  lookout,  to  watch  the 
movements  of  the  enemy.  As  the  men  all  lay  on  their  faces, 
Edward  was  sitting  up  to  look ;  a  sharpshooter's  bullet  probably 
struck  him  in  the  temple,  and  went  through  his  head.  He  put 
up  his  hand,  and  said:  "Oh!"  and  fell  on  his  elbow,  quite 
dead.  There  Avas  heavy  fighting  on  the  ground  soon  after,  and 
our  forces  had  possession  of  the  field  for  a  short  time.  Ed's 
body  was   carried   back   a   couple   of  hundred   yards,   and   left 


John's  Letter  on  Edwaed's  Death.  329 

under  a  tree.  I  heard  of  it  the  next  morning,  and  went  to  the 
regiinent,  and  got  a  man  to  go  with  me,  who  helped  to  carry 
him  off;  he  showed  me  where  he  hiy.  It  was  outside  of  our 
breastworks  forty  or  fifty  yards,  and  a  couple  of  hundred 
beyond  our  outer  line  of  sharpshooters.  I  went  out  to  them 
but  could  not  get  beyond;  for  a  bullet  would  whistle  by,  the 
moment  a  man  showed  himself.  I  lay  down  behind  a  big  rock. 
The  body  of  Green  Carle,  of  the  120th,  lay  there,  horribly  muti- 
lated. They  said  he  had  lived  two  or  three  hours  after  he  was 
struck.  Whilst  I  lay  there,  two  rebel  batteries  commenced  to 
play  on  ours.  I  never  imagined  such  a  thunder  as  the-  firing 
made;  there  were  twenty-four  cannon  at  work,  and  the  shells 
burst  over  our  heads,  fifty  feet  or  more;  one  or  two  men  were 
liurt  near  me^,  and  the  limbs  of  the  trees  dropped  occasionally. 
I  then  took  a  musket,  thinking  I  would  stay  with  the  infantry, 
till  they  advanced,  as  I  was  not  needed  with  the  department,  it 
being  with  the  mule  train;  the  rest  of  our  regiment  was  at 
Washington.  Pretty  soon  the  reljels  came  out  from  their 
works,  in  heavy  force,  and  advanced  in  line.  Our  batteries 
commenced  to  mow  them  down,  and  the  men  lay  down  until 
in  close  range;  then  the  outer  line  raised  up,  and  the  two  lines 
fought,  without  either  moving  from  their  place.  It  was  a 
grand,  but  terrible  sight !  The  rebels  concentrated  on  one  part 
of  our  line,  and  pressed  it  back,  to  charge  our  breastworks ;  our 
flanks  closed  in  on  them,  and  hundreds  were  driven  in,  pris- 
oners, while  the  rest  ran  back  to  their  lines  like  sheep.  One 
poor  fellow  came  in  just  by  me;  the  first  words  he  said  were, 
"  Gentlemen,  I  do  this  because  I  am  forced  to."  He  was  a 
pleasant,  harmless-looking  fellow,  as  are  one  half  of  them;  the 
other  half  look  like  wild  beasts.  At  this  time,  the  120th  came 
up,  and  I  went  with  them.  I  went  out  at  night,  to  look  for 
Edward,  but  could  not  find  him.  The  next  morning  our  line 
advanced,  and  I  went  out  to  the  tree;  and  there,  on  his  back, 
his  hands  peacefully  on  his  breast,  lay  all  that  was  left  of  the 
brother  I  have  lived  so  closely  with,  all  my  life.  When  I  had 
been  separated  from  him  a  few  weeks,  I  have  known  when  I 
met  him,  how  closely  I  was  knit  to  him.  On  this  earth  I  will 
never  meet  him  again !  His  features,  though  discolored  and 
swollen,  had  an  expression  I  have  seen  on  them  before  —  peace- 
ful rest.  He  had  lain  thirty-six  hours  on  the  field,  with  the 
roaring  of  cannon  and  bursting  of  shells  over  him,  and  the  feet 
of  contending  hosts,  of  darkness  and  freedom,  trampling  the 
ground  he  lay  on.     Wlien  I  got  him,  I  brought  him  in  through 


330  History  of  Marlborough. 

the  batteries,  and  laid  him  down  under  a  tree.  A  Captain  of 
one  of  the  batteries  said  to  me,  "  If  he  were  a  brother  of  mine, 
I  would  bury  him  on  the  field  of  his  glory."  He  was  very  kind, 
and  sent  me  men  to  dig  the  grave.  In  a  little  grove  behind 
the  batteries,  under  an  oak  tree,  in  his  soldier's  uniform, 
wrapped  in  a  shelter-tent,  lies  all  the  earthly  remains  of  my 
brother;  "he  has  gone  to  be  a  soldier  in  the  army  of  the  Lord." 
And  mother,  thee  and  I  walk  this  world  of  sorrow.  I  set  for 
his  head-stone  a  piece  of  a  young  oak,  cut  off  by  a  rebel  shell, 
and  marked  his  name  and  regiment.  Mother,  yet  a  little  time 
thee  and  I  have  to  walk  this  earth,  when  we  compare  it  to  the 
great  eternity  beyond,  where  father  and  Edward  are  gone 
before  us. 

Oh,  he  was  cut  down  in  the  very  morning  of  his  manhood ! 
He  is  laid  a  sacrifice  on  the  altar  of  Liljerty ! 

He  died  to  give  to  every  other  man  the  right  to  his  own  man- 
hood —  a  precious  sacrifice  —  for  in  him  were  heroism,  a  brave 
heart,  and  an  iron  will.  He  died,  as  he  would  have  died  — 
with  his  face  toward  the  enemies  of  freedom,  on  the  battle-field. 
Edward  has  marched  many  a  weary  mile;  he  has  lain  on  the 
wet,  cold  ground,  with  nothing  over  him,  long  niglits,  with  the 
rain  pouring  on  him,  and  never  murmured ;  he  has  lain  and 
shivered  in  the  snow  and  slush,  all  long  winter  nights,  after 
weary  marches,  hungry,  perhaps,  or  after  eating  a  few  hard 
crackers,  and  a  little  raw  meat ;  and,  in  his  discomfort  he  has 
never  wished  for  home ;  except,  perhaps,  to  look  forward  to 
that  bright  day  when  the  reljellion  should  be  crushed,  and  lie 
should  return  home,  war-worn,  and  covered  with  his  well  worn 
honors.  That  day,  alas !  he  can  never  see.  Oh,  God,  Thy 
price  for  freedom  is  a   dear  one ! 

JOHX. 


Xear  Sharpsburg,  July   12th,   1863. 
Dear  Mother, 

I  suppose  thee  has  read  either  one  or  the  other  of  my  four 
letters,  and  the  telegram  al)out  Edward.  Keep  heart  and 
courage,  mother;  he  has  only  gone  beyond  us.  It  is  a  com- 
fort to  think,  that  his  suffering  was  so  short.  He  must  have 
been  conscious  an  instant,  for  he  spoke  in  his  natural  voice  and 
said,  "Oh!"  (not  an  involuntary  groan)  put  his  hand  to  his 
forehead  and  fell  on  his  elbow  dead.  One  instant  of  terrible 
pain,  and  the  life  which  he  loved,  as  all  strong  men  do,  faded 


John's  Letter  on  Edward's  Death.  331 


from  his  sense,  and  was  changed  for  the  great  Hereafter,  when 
all  hmnan  imperfection  is  changed  for  perfection.     Brother, 
our  paths  through  life  have  run  side  by  side,  divergmg,  but  to 
join  again.     Xow,   you  have  the  better  part,   above  the  petty 
strifes ^of  this  life.     All  that  is  glorious  and  noble  is  yours, 
while  I  must  mingle  with  earthly  scenes,  till  your  life^  fades 
into  memory,  and  perhaps  memory  fades  into  shadow.     Surely, 
God  in  his^nercv  cannot  let  the  life  we  have  lived  together 
be  no  more;  but  'm  the  great  Hereafter,  the  life  that  has  been 
shall   live   again   in   memorv,   fresh  as  the  present.     Edward! 
your  love  for  me  was  strong,  strong  for  your  younger  brother, 
as  your  own  great,  strong,  brave  heart,  and  I  have  taken  it  as 
I  do  the  sunshine,  and  thought  to  have  you  V)y  me  always ;  but 
we  are  divided  now.     I  am  yet  of  the  earth,  while  your  name 
is  on  the  long  roll  of  honor  —  one  of  those  whom  God  has  con- 
sidered  worthy  to  be  sacrificed.     You   were  cut  do^^^l  in  the 
morning   of    manhood,    strong    and    brave    heart.      You    never 
flinched  from  danger.     T  know,  in  your  great  love  for  me,  you 
wHl  be  with  me  if  I  go  in  danger,  and  inspire  me  with  your 
spirit,  that   I   mav   do  my   whole  duty   without  flinching  and 
without  fear.    In  the  morning  of  life,  your  blood  has  been  shed 
for  the   right   of   every   man   to   upright  manhood  —  that   the 
poor  slave-mother  mav  hold  her  child  to  her  bosom  without 
fear  of  the  driver.    ^^Iv  poor,  broken,  widowed  mother  has  given 
her  first  and  noblest  son.     Oh,  God  have  mercy  on  her !     Thou, 
"  who  doest  all  things  well."     Your  body  rests  on  the  field  of 
glory.     Your  name  is  on  that  roll  of  the  noble  dead  to  which 
posteritv  must  bow  down,  and  thank  in  reverence. 

Xapoleon  told  his  soldiers,  at  the  Pyramids,  Centuries  look 
down  from  the  tops  of  these  Pyramids.  Forty  centuries  look 
down  upon  you!  Y"es !  but,  from  the  mountain  over  your 
head,  the  thunder  of  our  cannon,  hurling  death  to  the  rebels 
before  you  — from  the  top  of  that  mountain,  overlooking  the 
field  of "  Gettysburg  —  our  great  free  nation,  (yet  to  be,)  looked 
down  and  saw  vou  when  you  fell,  and  will  hold  your  name  in 
grateful  honor, 'for  all  time  to  come!— better  than  the^ golden 
letter  Napoleon  wrote  to  immortalize  his  victims.  You  are 
one  of  the  noblest  dead  who  died  for  Freedom,  and  the  feet 
of  freemen  shall  tread  the  soil  you  fell  on,  for  all  time  to  come. 
A  little  mound,  on  the  battle-field,  covers  all  that  is  left  of  my 
brother,  a  noble  fellow  as  ever  drew  the  breath  of  life.  As 
Christ  "  died  to  make  men  holy,"  he  has  "  died  to  make  men 
free."  Have  his  picture,  in  his  soldier's  uniform,  copied  like 
thine  and  father's,  and,  under  the  glass,  fold  his  commission 


332  History  of  Maklboeough. 


and  the  ragged  shoulder-strap  I  cut  from  him;  hang  under  it 
his  broken  sword,  and  write : 

"A  SOLDIER  IN  THE  AEMY  OF  THE  LOED." 

Now,  I  pray  the  battle  soon  to  be  fought  may  be  decisive,  and 
that  I  mav  return  to  be  a  little  comfort  to  thc^. 

JOHN. 


The  Last  Letter  John   Wrote  to   His  Mother. 

Harper's  Ferry,  July  18th,  1863. 
Dear  Mother, 

I  have  heard  nothing  from  thee  since  Edward's  death,  until 
two  days  ago.  I  had  a  letter  from  Nehe,  and  then,  July  8th, 
you  had  heard  he  was  wounded.  I  do  not  know  hardly  whether 
to  suppose  thee  is  alive  or  not.  My  comfort  is,  that  Edward 
died  as  becomes  a  man,  his  face  towards  the  enemies  of  free- 
dom. I  know  that,  though  he  loved  his  life  dearly  as  any 
man,  yet,  had  he  foreseen  the  result  when  he  first  thought  of 
going  to  the  war,  it  would  not  have  made  a  particle  of  differ- 
ence with  him ;  Init  he  would  have  walked  to  certain  death 
without  flinching.  I  can  do  or  say  nothing  to  comfort  my  poor 
stricken  mother.  In  thy  boundless  love  for  thy  children,  thy 
bereavement  is  more  than  mine,  lonely  and  sad  as  I  am, 
"  wretch  even  now,  life's  journey  just  begun." 

Harper's  Ferry !  How  much,  since  the  great  page  of  this 
people's  life-history  was  opened,  is  here.  That  long  old  row 
of  lilackened  walls  was  "the  Arsenal,  from  which  John  Brown 
thundered  out  the  challenge  to  a  life  and  death  struggle. 
Eetrilnition  visited  upon  the  oppressor;  sacrifice  of  the  best 
and  noblest  to  atone  for  our  wrongs  upon  the  helpless;  lines 
of  earthworks,  overlooking  Maryland  heights ;  white  tents, 
houses  battered  by  shot  and  shell  into  heaps  of  ruins,  in  the 
field  where  I  am  sitting;  pontoons  across  the  river;  and  the 
old  battered  and  worn-out  army,  thinned  out  to  one-fourth  of 
the  men  who  first  buckled  on  the  knapsack,  crossing  again  into 
Virginia,  to  grapple  with  its  old  enemy,  to  lay  the  l)ones  of  its 
best  and  bravest  before  the  breastworks  and  riflepits  of  the  yet 
formidal)le  rebels ! —  all  the  long  story  of  weary  suffering,  and 
the  woe  of  five  hundred  Ijattles !  and  here  we  stand  as  evenly- 
matched  as  ever,  and  they  on  chosen  ground,  as  ever.  I  don't 
overlook  the  great  blows  struck  by  Grant  at  Yicksburg,  and 
perhaps  others,  before  this,  at  Charleston,  which  lead  to  the 
hope,  almost,  that  the  great  price  is  nearly  paid,  and  the  work 


The  Last  Letter  John  Wrote  to  His  Mother.     333 


nearly  clone.  I  wrote  tliee  I  avouIcI  resign  if  events  occurred 
that  showed  the  war  nearly  over;  but  surely  thee  would  not 
have  me  back  out  from  this  glorious  struggle,  while  the  chances 
hang  in  the  balance.  Go  home !  and  leave  these  weary  war- 
worn men  to  fight  for  blessings  I  should  enjoy?  these  weary 
men,  who  have  fought  and  suffered  so  hard  and  long,  addicted 
to  every  vice,  almost,  individually,  but  cowardice  or  meanness. 
I  have  seen  them  struggle,  through  mud  and  rain,  after  the  de- 
feat at  Chancellorville,  back  to  the  cheerless  ruins  of  their  old 
camps.  I  have  seen  them  making  long  and  weary  marches 
along  the  dusty  road,  to  foil  the  advance  of  Lee  across  the 
Eappahanock,  then,  forced  marches  to  Manassas,  all  day  long 
without  water;  then,  I  have  seen  long  columns  pushing  for- 
ward, with  tireless  energy,  to  meet  the  enemy  at  Gettysburg; 
then,  marching,  day  and  night,  to  cut  off  the  retreating  foe, 
and  now  coming  here,  to  this  old  historic  spot,  dark  again  into 
the  dark  valley  and  shadow  of  death,  never  halting  or  mur- 
muring, ever  ready  to  lay  down  their  lives,  as  their  comrades 
have  done.  I  have  heard  them  groaning  in  agony,  wounded, 
jolted  over  rough  road,  or  carried  by  their  comrades,  or  lying 
on  the  battle  field,  between  the  lines,  begging  to  be  taken  out 
of  more  danger.  I  have  seen  mangled  and  torn  masses  knocked 
out  of  the  shape  of  men.  I  have  seen  ragged  uniforms  of 
United  States  soldiers,  bursting  from  the  black  and  swollen 
bodies,  as  they  lay  in  ditches  by  the  road  side,  rotting  in  the 
sun.  "  Blessed  are  they  that  endure  to  the  end."  I  am  no 
such  soldier  as  my  brother  was ;  but  I  trust  I  have  manhood 
enough  to  stand  with  this  army  of  the  Lord  until  its  victory 
is  sure.  I  entered  the  vineyard  but  at  the  eleventh  hour.  I 
can,  perhaps,  do  but  little,  but,  while  the  result  hangs  in  the 
balance,  I  know,  in  thy  heart  of  hearts,  thee  is  glad  that  I  am 
one  of  this  army,  and  where  is  heard  the  tramp  of  their  march- 
ing feet,  there  am  I.  I  am  glad  tx»  hear,  from  thy  letter,  that 
cousins  Y.  Hallock  and  T.  Sherman  have  gone  for  Edward's 
body.  I  know  it  woiild  have  been  his  wish;  it  is  but  a  small 
satisfaction,  l)ut  I  could  not  have  done  even  that.  Bear  up  a 
little  longer,  my  poor  bereaved  mother. 

Thy  only  son, 

JOHX. 


334  History  of  Marlborough. 


NEHEMIAH  HALLOCK  MANN. 


Born  in  Littleton,  N.  J.,  July  twentieth,  eighteen  hundred  and 
thirty-seven,  entered  the  service  of  his  country,  as  a  private 
in  the  Lincoln  Cavalry,  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-two; 
commissioned  Second  Lieuteiiant,  September  ninth,  eigh- 
teen hundred  and  sixty-two;  commissioned  Captain  Co.  M, 
Fourth  N.  Y.  Cavalry,  April  second,  eighteen  hundred  and 
sixty-three;  hilled  at  Cedarville,  Va.,  August  eighteenth, 
eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-four;  buried  on  the  battle-field; 
remains  suhsequently  re-interred  in  the  Friend's  Burial 
Ground,  at  Milton,  N.  Y. 

Capt.  Mann  was  a  cousin  of  the  Ketcliam  brothers ; 
he  was  in  the  same  regiment  with  John,  and  a  letter, 
from  John  to  his  mother,  better  illustrates  the  man 
than  anything  that  might  now  be  said  of  him. 

Gum  Springs,  June  23rd,  1863. 
Dear  Mother: 

I  have  just  seen  Captain  Mann,  off  to  Washington  Hos- 
pital. I  suppose,  before  this  reaches  thee,  thee  will  have 
heard  of  the  affair;  for  I  telegraphed  to  Sarah,  his  sister,  to 
join  him  there.  He  was  charging,  at  the  head  of  the  regi- 
ment, just  this  side  of  Upperville,  near  the  entrance  of  Ashby's 
Gap.  After  being  driven  back,  the  Captain  called  for  the  boys 
to  follow  him,  and  went  in  ahead  himself.  The  boys  followed, 
but  not  close  enough  to  prevent  his  being  engaged  with  about 
a  dozen  at  him  at  once,  he  says.  One  fellow  gave  him  a  cut  on 
his  cheek,  which  knocked  him  from  his  horse;  then,  as  he  lay 
helpless  on  the  ground,  another  shot  him ;  the  l)all  entering  near 
the  point  of  the  left  shoulder,  and,  cutting,  under  the  ribs, 
lodged  in  the  muscles  of  the  left  breast.  The  doctors  think  he 
may  recover;  but  I  don't  think  it  worth  while  to  deny  that  his 
wounds  are  dangerous.  He  had  just  come  out  with  the  regi- 
ment, for  the  first  time ;  having  l)een  in  charge  of  a  large  dis- 
mounted camp.  The  night  before  the  day  of  battle,  his  com- 
pany were  in  high  glee  at  his  arrival.  On  the  morning  of  the 
fight,  I  think  he  looked  finer  than  I  ever  saw  him  —  without 
exception,  the  finest  soldier  I  have  ever  seen,  with  none  of  the 
brutality  so  common  in  the  military  character.      I  would  give 


Nehemiah  Hallock  Mann.  335 


more  for  Captain  Mann,  commanding  a  l^rigade,  than  any 
general  I  have  seen  —  except,  perhaps,  Killpatrick,  who  fre- 
quently charges  with  the  boys  of  our  regiment.  I  have  no 
doubt  Captain  Mann  would  command  a  brigade  of  cavalry, 
with  the  science  he  learned  as  an  orderly,  with  as  much  ease 
and  grace  as  if  he  had  been  accustomed  to  it  for  a  lifetime. 
He  was  in  command  of  a  squadron  that  morning,  and  when  we 
were  ordered  to  charge  a  blockaded  bridge,  which  a  rebel  colonel 
we  captured  told  us  they  expected  to  hold  all  day,  and  the 
regiment  stopped,  under  the  fire  of  cannon  and  sharpshooters, 
behind  walls  and  trees,  horses  and  men  dropping,  and  bullets 
whistling  around  —  Captain  Mann  sat  calmly  on  his  horse, 
knowing  the  enemy  were  singling  him  out,  until  he  got  orders 
to  dismount  his  squadron  and  clear  the  bridge,  with  the  car- 
bine. Then  he  took  a  carbine,  and  led  the  men  over  the  bridge 
in  three  minutes.  Such  men  as  John  Paul  Jones  and  Ethan 
Allen  were  made  of  the  same  stuff  as  he.  His  charge  released 
General  Killpatrick,  who  was  taken  prisoner  through  the  fault 
of  two  regular  regiments  of  cavalry.  Three  platoons  of  our 
squadron,  Xehe's,  Captain  Hall's,  and  mine,  were  sent  out  in 
an  open  field,  of  fifty  acres  or  so,  facing  a  wood,  in  front  of 
Upperville.  We  deployed  as  skirmishers,  over  half  a  mile,  per- 
haps, and  advanced  towards  the  woods.  When  near  there,  a 
column  of  rebels  charged  on  our  center,  driving  in  the  skir- 
mishers —  the  single  column  followed  l)y  column  in  squadron 
front.  Our  forces  advanced,  the  two  regiments,  and  the  rebels 
went  back  in  the  woods.  When  near  the  woods  the  regulars 
commenced  charging  across,  in  front  of  the  woods;  the  rebs 
came  out,  formed,  facing  the  flank.  General  Killpatrick  rode 
towards  the  line,  and  tried  to  turn  the  regulars  in  that  direc- 
tion ;  but  on  they  went,  pell  mell,  until  they  all  got  by  them  — 
the  rebs  after  them  —  and  took  Killpatrick.  Keep  hope  and 
courage,  mother,  and  all  Xehe's  dear  friends.  His  voice  will 
soon  be  heard  where  it  is  needed  —  on  the  field  of  battle.  Be 
«f  good  cheer,  high  hope,  and  courage  always. 

Lovingly, 

JOHI^. 

Captain  Mann  was  a  soldier  of  commanding  appear- 
ance,— six  feet  three  in  height,  straight,  well-pro- 
portioned and  strong.  There  was  no  finer-looking 
man  in  the  regiment,  nor  none  braver,—  always 
ready  for  duty  and  always  taking  the  place  of  danger ; 


336  History  of  Marlboeough. 

no  soldier  was  asked  to  go  where  lie  would  not  go,  and 
while  leading  a  charge  at  Cedarville,  Va.,  he  was  shot 
through  the  heart.  The  writer  well  remembers  him 
as  a  schoolmate,  as  being  kiudhearted  and  g^enerous, 
faithful  and  true,  a  young  man  of  excellent  habits, 
a  good  student,  a  dutiful  and  kind  son,  and  respected 
by  all. 

These  three  soldiers  were  the  great-grandchildren 
of  Edward  Hallock,  heretofore  spoken  of,  and  they 
all  lie  buried  near  together  with  three  small  monu- 
ments marking  their  graves,  and  surrounded  by  the 
graves  of  their  ancestors  for  many  generations,  in 
the  Friends'  burial  ground,  at  Milton,  N,  Y. ;  three 
young  men,  who,  had  they  lived,  were  destined  to  be 
among  the  foremost  men  in  the  county  and  state, — 
cut  down  in  their  youth  and  usefulness,  snatched  from 
their  relatives  and  friends  without  a  moment's  notice, 
buried  on  the  field  of  their  glory,  and  afterward 
among  their  departed  kindred ;  dying  in  the  cause  of 
their  country  while  upholding  the  flag  and  sustain- 
ing the  unity  of  the  nation; — such  was  the  fate  of 
these  three  Milton  boys. 

After  the  body  of  John  Ketcham  was  brought  home, 
a  great  concourse  of  people  assembled  at  his  funeral, 
and  perhaps  we  cannot  do  better  than  to  give  the 
words  spoken  at  the  luirial  by  that  great  orator,  Rev. 
0.  B.  Frothingham. 

Friends:  I  have  come  here  to-day  as  to  a  sacred  place;  as 
a  pilgrim  comes  to  a  shrine.  I  have  come  to  visit  the  home 
of  the  noble  young  man  whose  remains  are  coffined  here,  to  see 
the  spot  where  he  lived,  the  house  where  he  was  born,  the  mother 
who  held  him  to  her  bosom,  the  neighbors  and  friends  he  loved. 
I  have  come  to  receive  a  lesson,  not  to  give  one ;  to  be  taught, 
not  to  teach;  to  be  comfort.ed,  not  to  comfort.  Better  than  any 
speech  of  mine  i?  tlie  silent  thought  on  these  relics,  and  on  all 
they  have  passed  throug'i,  since  the  stalwart  and'  beautiful 
frame  to  which  they  beloaged  left  your  peaceful  hills  for  the 
camp  and  the  battle-field,     What  a  strange  history  for  such  a 


Words   Spoken  at  the  Burial.  337 

man  I  Beaten  up  and  down  by  all  the  storms  of  war,  borne 
hither  and  thither  by  the  changeful  movement  of  the  army, 
blackened  by  the  sun  and  Ijleached  l)y  the  frost,  exposed  to  all 
the  mutations  of  the  weather,  pinched  with  hunger,  stiffened 
with  cold,  drenched  with  dew  and  rain,  hardened  by  toil,  wasted 
by  fever,  watching  in  the  saddle,  sleeping  on  the  ground,  be- 
grimed by  smoke  and  powder,  a  mark  for  sabre-cut  and  for 
rifle-ball,  sick  in  hospital,  captive  in  prison,  dying  among  ene- 
mies, buried,  with  no  shroud  but  his  cloak,  in  hostile  soil, 
lifted  from  the  ground,  coffined  and  brought  hither  at  last,  to 
repose  in  peace  by  the  side  of  his  elder  l)rother,  and  in  sight 
of  the  doorway  through  which  he  had  so  often  passed;  this 
body  tells  a  touching  and  solemn  story  of  toil,  fatigue,  suffer- 
ing, peril,  and  death ;  Iiut  also  of  patience,  fortitude,  bravery, 
cheerfulness,  the  devotion  of  a  generous,  pure  and  earnest 
heart. 

I  cannot  utter  words  of  common  consolation  here.  There 
are  all  the  usual  consolations,  and  more.  There  is  the  thought 
of  the  Infinite  God,  just  and  loving,  of  the  kind  and  tender 
Providence,  which  allows  nothing  to  be  wasted,  which  picks 
up  the  fragments  of  our  broken  existence,  ties  together  1he 
loose  threads  of  our  activity,  arranges  our  life-plan,  makes 
good  the  imperfection  of  our  labor,  and  perfects  itself  in  our 
weakness,  suffering  not  even  the  little  ones  to  perish,  and  per- 
mitting no  good  hope  to  fail ;  there  is  the  thought  of  a  vast 
hereafter,  where  every  life  sliall  be  made  complete.  These 
consolations  are  for  all  in  ordinary  times ;  for  those  wht)se 
friends  are  cut  off  by  untimely  accident,  if  we  may  speak  of 
imtimeliness  or  accident  in  this  world  of  God's;  for  those  whose 
dear  ones  die  of  their  own  ignorance,  error,  foolishness,  and 
vice.  For  these  friends  of  ours  we  have  more  than  this ;  the 
sympathy  of  a  great  multitude,  the  fellowship  of  an  immense 
company  of  noble  mourners,  the  tender  respect  and  love  of 
strangers,  the  recognition  of  a  country,  the  unspoken,  perhaps 
unconscious,  gratitude  of  those  ready  to  perish.  The  memory 
of  such  a  career,  of  such  a  character,  is  alone  consolation  suffi- 
cient for  more  than  ordinary  grief.  What  greater  comfort 
could  there  be  for  a  mother  than  to  have  had  even  one  such 
son?  To  be  recognized  and  honored  as  the  mother  of  such? 
To  live  in  their  reflected  light  and  glory?  \Yhen  I  think  of 
mothers  I  know,  who  sit  mourning  for  boys  cut  off  in  their 
prime  by  some  fate  Avhich  finished  their  career  before  their 
career  had  well  liegun ;  when  I  think  of  other  mothers,  who  sit 
mourning  for  beautiful  boys  who  have  dug  their  own  graves 


338  History  of  Marlborough. 

by  dissipation ;  and  of  mothers  yet,  who  are  ready  to  pray  kind 
death  to  take  their  boys  away  from  temptation  before  they  sink 
under  it,  body  and  soul;  this  widowed  mother,  sitting  by  two 
such  graves  as  these,  with  a  heart  full  of  such  memories,  seems 
to  be  blessed  above  the  rest ;  yes,  above  thousands  whose  sons 
are  living  at  their  side. 

A  friend,  last  summer,  read  me  a  letter  from  a  young  man 
in  the  army  of  the  Potomac,  written  to  his  mother  after  the 
Battle  of  Chancellorsville.  It  was  the  elder  brother  of  him 
whose  remains  lie  here.  Early  in  the  war  the  hearts  of  both 
burned  to  take  part  in  the  conflict  for  what  they  believed  to  be 
the  cause  of  liberty,  truth  and  justice  among  men.  The  elder 
went ;  the  younger  stayed,  to  support  and  comfort  his  mother. 
Presently  came  brave  letters  from  the  camp,  telling  of  the  life 
there,  presenting  the  most  encouraging  aspects  of  it,  for  the 
sake  of  the  dear  ones  at  home,  making  light  of  the  privations, 
hardships  and  perils,  and  showing  how  the  pure  purpose  of  the 
heart  was  deepening,  how  the  manly  character  was  ripening, 
under  circumstances  that  are  usually  considered  to  be  fatal  to 
all  sweetness  and  tenderness  of  nature.  The  soul  of  the 
younger  brother  was  stirred  by  these  words  from  the  camp  and 
the  field.  He  felt  that  he  must  go.  His  mother  pleads,  his 
brother  remonstrates,  saying  what  such  a  man  would  say  about 
duty  at  home,  the  mother's  loneliness,  the  chances  of  battle, 
and  the  fearful  thing  it  would  be  were  l)oth  to  die  —  Imt  say- 
ing too,  in  an  undertone  which  was  felt,  not  seen  in  the  writing 
— "  Well,  it  is  a  great  cause,  and  good  men  are  needed  in  it, 
and  it  is  no  wonder  that  every  high-minded  man  is  eager  to 
do  his  part."  And  John  followed  Edward ;  left  the  hills,  the 
homestead,  the  farm,  the  sorrowing  mother,  the  delights  of  his 
quiet,  tranquil  life. 

Letters  came  now  from  both  boys;  letters  that  suggested  — 
though  their  writers  knew  nothing  of  it  and  did  not  suspect 
it  —  the  good  they  must  be  doing  in  the  camp  by  their  courage, 
their  obedience,  their  high  tone  of  loyalty,  not  less  by  the 
purity  and  temperance  and  manly  simplicity  of  their  example. 
Brave  we  knew  they  were ;  ready,  faithful,  unflinching,  unmur- 
muring. At  Gettysburg  the  elder  brother  falls.  The  younger 
searches  the  bloody  miles  of  battle-ground  for  the  body,  finds 
it  after  many  hours  among  the  slain,  bears  it  in  his  arms  a 
mile  to  a  quiet  resting-place,  whence  it  is  removed  to  be  borne 
northward  l:)y  tender  liands,  and  laid,  in  the  gorgeous  mid- 
summer, ])eneath  the  trees  he  loved  so  well. 

Letters   now   from   one   brother  again,   telling  the   bereaved 


Words   Spoken  at  the  Burial.  339 


mother  that  he  was  unhurt  and  well ;  that  he  should  come  back- 
to  her  soon;  that  Edward's  spirit  was  about  him  and  would 
ward  off  the  balls;  and  in  the  future  would  be  al)out  them  both, 
and  help  them  along  the  rest  of  their  way. 

But  exposure,  work,  sorrow,  brought  sickness;  weeks  of 
^  miserable  sickness  in  the  hospital,  a  sigh  for  the  invigorating 
breath  of  these  hills,  and  for  a  cheering  sight  of  his  old  friends. 
But  the  bugle  was  ringing  outside;  his  brave  fellows  were  mak- 
ing ready  for  the  charge ;  he  leaves  the  hospital,  full  of  courage 
as^ever,  but  too  feeble  in  Ijody  to  take  the  field ;  for  a  fortnight, 
daily,  he  is  out,  wrapped  in  smoke  and  dust;  narrowly  escaping 
from  death,  as  he  rallies  his  men,  he  is  taken  prisoner.  Still, 
from  the  horriljle  Eichmond  prison,  come  the  letters,  brave  and 
-uncomplaining;  he  is  unwounded,  he  is  safe  now  from  danger 
in  battle;  he  has  strength  to  bear  him  through;  he  needs  but 
a  few  comforts,  blankets,  clothing;  he  is  not  treated  harshly. 
Poor  fellow!  he  is  dying  from  exhaustion.  He  goes  to  the 
hospital  for  a  few  days;  he  goes  in  the  afternoon;  the  next 
morning  he  is  dead  in  his  bed. 

It  was  long  before  this  brother  found  his  way  homeward; 
the  mother's  heart  was  getting  tired  with  waiting;  but  he  is 
here  at  last ;  and  we  are  here,  to  be  honored  l)y  the  presence  of 
his  remains. 

For  what  was  this  young  life  given  away?  For  what  were 
this  sweet  home,  this  pleasant  existence,  these  tranquil  pursuits, 
this  dear  mother  resigned?  For  what  were  all  these  cares  and 
toils  and  sorrows  borne?  Not  for  himself;  not  that  he  might 
be  richer,  greater,  more  famous ;  not  in  pride  or  vindictiveness, 
or  young  love  of  adventure;  Imt  that  the  poor  blacks  of  the 
South,  whom  he  knew  not,  and  who  knew  not  him  —  the  poor 
blacks,  to  whom  the  very  name  of  man  had  been  denied  —  the 
beaten,  treated  as  the  off'scouring  of  the  earth,  might  have  their 
human  rights;  for  these,  whom  he  never  saw,  he  died,  with  a 
faith  as  simple  and  a  devotion  as  pure  as  ever  man  had,  count- 
ing what  he  did  as  little,  remembering  only  what  he  ought  to 
do.  Unpretending,  unambitious,  with  the  heart  of  a  little  child 
and  the  conscience  of  a  Christian  man,  he  lived  and  died  for  a 
principle. 

It  is  a  strange  sight,  the  coffin  of  a  soldier,  wrapped  in  a 
battle-flag,  lying  in  a  Friends'  meeting  house.  He  was  edu- 
cated a  Friend,  and  was  in  spirit,  to  the  end,  one  of  that  peace- 
ful brotherhood,  who  abhor  violence,  and  blood-shedding,  and 
war.  Comfort  yourselves,  oh,  Friends!  with  the  thought  that 
he  preserved  that  pious  abhorrence  as  sacredly  as  you  do.     He 


340  History  of  Maklborough. 

Avas  a  lover  of  peace ;  he  Avent  out  in  the  hoi}-  cause  of  peace^ 
as  a  peacemaker.  Not  to  make  war  or  to  continue  war,  but  to 
put  an  end  to  war;  to  die  himself,  if  need  were,  by  the  hand 
of  war,  that  war  might  cease.  To  make  war  in  his  country 
forever  impossible,  by  eradicating  human  slavery,  its  perma- 
nent cause,  he  took  up  arms.  There  seemed  no  other  way  of 
doing  it.  He  would  thankfully  have  used  -other  means,  had 
other  means  l^een  permitted.  Accepting  these,  he  prayed  al- 
ways for  the  quiet  rest  he  hoped  these  would  bring.  You  need 
not  l)e  afraid  of  shocking  your  principles  by  receiving  him  here 
from  battle.  His  spirit  would  do  no  violence  to  the  saintliest 
communion.  Do  we  hate  war  less  in  these  days  than  formerly? 
N'av,  friends,  we  hate  it,  if  possible,  a  thousand  times  more, 
and  we  hate  slavery  ten  thousand  times  more,  when  we  see 
them,  father  and  son,  doing  such  deeds  as  this. 

(),  my  friends,  the  time  is  coming,  the  time  is  surely  com- 
ing, when  all  they  who  went  down  into  this  great  struggle  will 
be  held  in  honor  hj  all  lovers  of  order  and  peace ;  when  they 
who  have  lost  arm  or  leg  in  it  will  be  looked  at  with  profound 
respect ;  when  they  who  have  come  out  of  it  riven  or  scarred 
will  be  counted  among  the  beautiful ;  Avhen  they  who,  like  this 
young  man,  have  died  in  it,  with  a  noble  sense  of  its  signifi- 
cance, will  1)0  reckoned  among  the  martyrs  of  God's  truth. 
The  time  will  come,  when  they  who  have  sent  husband,  son, 
brother,  lover,  into  this  struggle,  will  be  cherished  in  grateful 
remembrance. 

Yes,  when  they  who  have  suffered  in  it,  in  any  wise,  even 
with  no  high  sentiment  of  its  grandeur,  and  no  high  purpose 
in  their  death,  will  yet  be  Avrapped  about  Avith  its  sanctifying 
glory.  Then  Ave,  Avho  have  done  nothing,  Avho  have  but  given 
a  fcAv  of  our  superfluous  dollars,  who  have  but  preached  what 
others  ought  to  do,  Avill  apologize  for  our  Avell-preserved  health 
and  beauty,  and  Avill  be  glad  to  hide  our  shame  Ijehind  the  form 
of  some  hero  of  our  l)lood. 

It  is  sad  to  see  so  much  young  manhood  laid  Ioav  in  its 
bloom,  and  laid  Ioav  l)y  that  barbarian.  War,  pushed  on  by  his 
more  loathsome  brother  —  Slavery.  But  Ave  must  not  be  nar- 
roAv  in  judging  the  issues  of  a  human  life.  Who  can  tell  how 
existence  may  be  more  profitably  spent?  Who  can  decide  what 
is  the  most  effectual  doing?  Providence  decides  all  that  for 
us,  and  makes  every  earnest  man  do  his  Avork,  Avherever  he  is, 
and  AA'hether  he  live  longer  or  shorter.  Had  our  young  friend 
lived,  he  would  have  been  knoAvn  and  beloved  among  -these  hills, 
and,  doubtless,  Avould  have  made  the  force  of  his  character  felt 


Recruiting  for  the  120th  Regiment.  341 


by  his  neighbors.  A  good  son,  a  faithful  friend,  a  useful  towns- 
nmn,  a  sincere,  honest,  humane  man,  he  would  have  lived  and 
died  here,  in  the  quiet,  and  the  little  stream  of  his  existence 
would  have  fed  the  moral  life  of  his  generation,  only  as  one 
of  your  mountain  rivulets  feeds  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  The 
heroic  quality  in  him  would  have  slumbered ;  his  power  of  sacri- 
fice would  have  been  uncalled  for,  his  example  of  pure  patriot- 
ism would  have  been  lost.  Xow  he  is  known  by  many,  to  whom 
personally  he  was  a  stranger.  He  is  respected  and  loved  by 
some  who  never  would  have  heard  of  him.  He  has  exhibited 
many  qualities  of  the  highest  order,  where  men  could  see  them. 
He  has  shed  a  virtue  abroad  in  the  camp.  He  has  read  lessons 
of  duty  to  some  whom  he  would  hardly  have  thought  of  in- 
structing. For  my  own  part,  though  1  never  saw  him,  I  grate- 
fully confess  my  deljt  to  him  for  a  fresh  belief  in  the  nobleness 
of  nature,  for  a  more  living  faith  in  man,  for  a  fresh  con- 
viction of  the  worth  of  a  simple  fidelity  to  principle,  for  a  new 
sense  of  the  sublimity  of  sacrifice.  For  me  he  has  done  much 
by  his  living,  and  by  his  dying.  Yes,  0  my  brother!  they  tell 
me  that  words  of  mine  helped  to  show  you  the  significance  of 
this  struggle,  and  did  something  to  deepen  in  your  heart  the 
purpose  that  has  brought  you  thus  early  to  the  grave.  You 
have  richly  repaid  the  debt.  You  have  shown  me  the  signifi- 
cance of  a  good  man's  deed,  and,  I  hope,  have  deepened  in  my 
heart  a  purpose  that  will  help  me  to  nobler  life. 

But  we  have  said  too  much,  we  have  broken  too  long  and  too 
impertinently  the  sacred  silence.  We  should  have  allowed  him 
to  speak  more.  Had  he  l)eon  able  to  speak,  he  would  have 
rebuked  us  for  praising  what  he  did  in  the  sincerity  of  his 
lieart,  because  he  could  not  help  it,  and  under  pain  of  self- 
condemnation  had  left  it  undone.  Let  us  lay  what  is  left  of 
his  poor  body  in  the  ground,  and  think  of  him  as  living  and 
v\'orking  on;  for  in  the  future  time,  when  sweet  peace  shall 
come  back  to  us,  he  will  live  and  work  in  the  pure  sentiments 
hie  has  aided  in  strengthening,  and  in  the  noble  institutions 
lie  has  died  to  establish. 


Recruiting  for  the  120th  Regiment. 

An  important  part  of  this  work  fell  to  the  lot  of  Col. 
George  H.  Sharpe,  who,  by  the  appointment  of  the 
Governor  of  the  State,  was  to  command  the  regiment 
about  to  be  raised.  Col.  Sharpe  had  commanded  a 
company  in  the  regiment  of  three  months'  men,  which 


342  History  of  Marlborough. 

had  gone  forth  from  Kingston  shortly  after  the  fall 
of  Fort  Sumpter,  and  his  experience  in  that  campaign 
served  to  adapt  him  more  fully  to  the  more  responsi- 
ble command  he  was  now  called  to  assume.  He  en- 
tered actively  and  earnestly  upon  the  task  of  recruit- 
ing, holding  meetings  almost  daily  in  the  several  sec- 
tions of  the  county  and  addressing  large  audiences 
drawn  together  by  interest  in  the  country's  cause. 
These  meetings  were  at  times  addressed  by  other  in- 
fluential citizens  of  the  county,  who  placed  country 
before  party,  and  by  the  fervor  of  their  appeals 
swelled  rapidly  the  number  of  recruits  and  raised  to 
a  higher  pitch  the  loyal  zeal  and  ardor  of  the  people. 
An  occasional  exception  was  found  to  the  enthusi- 
asm with  which  these  meetings  stood  ready  to  greet 
the  speakers  who,  throughout  the  country,  came  with 
appeals  for  more  volunteers.  One  of  these  excep- 
tions was  at  a  well-known  village  generally  considered 
to  be  foremost  in  patriotic  action.  The  people  there 
owing  to  certain  reasons  and  influences,  not  easy  to 
define  or  understand,  and  which  soon  passed  away, 
seemed  at  first  indifferent  to  the  duty  of  contributing 
to  the  cause  by  personal  enlistments.  A  meeting  had 
been  called  to  be  held  in  the  evening,  and  Col.  Sharpe 
upon  arriving  in  the  afternoon  and  consulting  with 
the  leading  men  of  the  locality  was  informed  that  the 
meeting  would  undoubtedly  be  well  attended,  but 
there  was  no  i^rospect  of  any  enlistments,  and  the 
attempt  to  get  them  there  might  as  well  be  aliandoned. 
The  meeting  did  prove  to  be  a  very  large  one  and  the 
enthusiasm  gradually  rose  to  a  very  high  pitch.  Col. 
Sharpe  in  the  course  of  liis  speech  stated  the  result 
of  his  interview  with  the  leading  men  of  the  town  in 
the  afternoon.  He  said  that  he  had  been  given  to 
understand  that  in  the  regiment  to  be  raised  that 
locality  would  not  be  represented.  He  had  always 
had  a  high  opinion  of  the  courage  and  enthusiasm  of 


Recruiting  for  the  120th  Regiment.         343 


its  citizens,  and  rather  than  leave  the  town  without 
representation  in  the  regiment,  he  proposed  to  return 
to  Governor  Morgan  his  commission  as  colonel,  and 
to  enlist  as  a  private  for  that  locality  in  order  that 
the  whole  county  might  be  represented.  He  was  fol- 
lowed by  one  or  two  strong  addresses  from  prominent 
citizens,  and  at  the  close  of  the  meeting  seven  young 
men  came  forward  to  enlist,  and  their  example  was 
soon  followed  by  a  sufficient  number  to  authorize  the 
issuing  of  a  commission  to  a  young  man  of  the  same 
town,  who  finally  fell  at  the  head  of  his  men  on  one  of 
the  most  memorable  battlelields  of  the  war. 

The  above  is  an  account  of  the  public  meeting  held 
at  Milton.  Edward  H.  Ketcham  had  received  au- 
thority to  recruit  for  a  company  of  his  regiment,  and 
when  he  should  obtain  a  certain  number  of  recruits 
he  was  to  be  commissioned  Second  Lieutenant.  At 
first  he  had  very  ])Oor  success,  and  at  his  earnest 
solicitation  Col.  Sliarpe  came  down  to  assist  liim  and 
the  above-mentioned  meeting  was  held  with  good 
success  and  Ketcham  soon  obtained  his  commission 
and  was  killed  the  first  day  of  the  battle  of  Gettys- 
burg. William  J.  Purdy  afterward  received  author- 
ity to  recruit  for  the  156th  Regiment  being  formed  in 
this  county  in  the  latter  part  of  1862.  He  enlisted 
about  twenty-five  men  in  the  town  and  received  his 
commission  as  Second  Lieutenant  in  that  regiment. 
The  balance  of  the  enlistments  from  this  town  were 
scattered  among  at  least  twenty  different  organiza- 
tions and  in  different  departments  and  different  ser- 
vices. Many  were  killed,  wounded  or  taken  prison- 
ers, and  some  of  the  missing  have  never  been  heard 
from. 

From  the  best  estimates  that  can  be  made,  there 
are  not  to  exceed  tw^enty  still  alive,  of  whom  not  more 
than  ten  are  now  living  in  the  town,  of  all  the  men 
from  this  town  who  enlisted  in  the  Union  army. 
There  were  very  few  enlistments  in  the  navv. 


344  History  of  Marlborough. 

Special  Election  to  Eaise  Money  for  War  Purposes. 

The  following  is  a  record  of  the  proceedings  of  a 
special  town  meeting  held  in  1864  to  provide  money 
to  pay  a  bounty  to  men  w^io  would  enlist: 

Town  of  Maiiborougli,  "l 
Ulster  County.  "  J  ^'* 
At  a  sijecial  town  meeting  held  at  the  hotel  of  Samuel  H. 
Kniliin  in  the  town  of  Marlboro  in  Ulster  County  on  '.:he 
thirty-first  clay  of  August,  18G±,  pursuant  to  a  public  notice 
given  by  the  Town  Clerk  of  said  town.  Present :  Isaac  Staples 
and  Charles  C.  Merritt  Justices  of  the  Peace,  and  A.  M.  Cav- 
erly  having  been  duly  appointed  clerk,  for  the  purpose  of  rais- 
ing money  by  tax  on  said  town  to  pay  a  town  bounty  to  all 
those  who  go  to  fill  the  quota  under  the  last  call  of  the  Presi^ 
dent  for  five  hundred  tliousand  men  etc. 

The  following  resolution  was  adopted  at  said  meet- 
ing previous  to  the  opening  of  the  polls  on  said  day, 
viz. :. 

Eesolved  that  there  be  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  raised 
by  tax  on  tlie  town  of  Marlboro  as  town  bounty  for  all  those 
who  go  to  fill  the  quota  for  said  town,  under  the  President's  last 
call   for  five  hundred  thousand  men. 

The  above  resolution  was  also  voted  on  by  ballot 
with  the  following  result,  viz : 

The  whole  number  of  votes  given  for  and  against  the  same 
was  one  hundred  and  ninety-three,  of  which  the  whole  number 
to  raise  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  was  one  hundred  and 
seventy-seven;  and  of  which  the  whole  nmnber  against  raising 
two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  was  fourteen,  and  of  which  there 
M^ere  two  votes  given  to  raise  four  hundred  dollars. 

We  certify  that  the  foregoing  statement  is  correct  in  all  re- 
spects. 

Dated  this  thirty-first  day  of  August  1864. 

A.  M.  CAVEELY 

Clerk 

ISAAC  STAPLES 
CHAELES  C.  MEEEITT 

Justices  of  the  Peace. 


Election  to  Raise  Money  for  War  Purposes.     345 


Town  of  Marlborough, 
Ulster  County.  J 

At  a  special  towTi  meeting  held  at  the  hotel  of  Jacob  Madison 
in  the  Town  of  Marlboro  in  the  County  of  Ulster  and  State  of 
Xew  York  on  the  twenty-fourth  day  of  September,  1864,  pur- 
suant to  a  public  notice  given  by  the  Town  Clerk  of  said  town. 
Present:  Isaac  Staples  and  Charles  C.  Merritt,  Justices  of  the 
Peace,  and  Abner  M.  Caverly  having  been  duly  appointed  sworn 
as  clerk,  for  the  purpose  of  raising  money  by  tax  on  said  town 
to  pay  a  town  bounty  to  all  those  who  shall  go  to  fill  the  quota 
under  the  last  call  of  the  President  for  five  hundred  thousand 
men  etc. 

The  following  resolutions  were  adopted  previous 
to  the  opening  of  the  polls  on  said  day,  viz.: 

Kesolved  that  a  resolution  passed  at  a  special  town  meeting 
held  at  the  house  of  Samuel  H.  Kniifin  in  the  Town  of  ]\Iarl- 
boro  on  the  31st  day  of  August,  1861,  to  wit: 

Eesolved  that  there  be  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  raised 
by  tax  on  the  Town  of  Marlboro  as  town  bounty  for  all  those 
who  go  to  fill  the  quota  for  said  town  under  the  President's 
last  call  for  five  hundred  thousand  men  etc.  And  the  same 
is  hereby  rescinded  and  the  following  resolution  was  passed  in 
its  stead : 

Eesolved  that  the  sum  of  $500  be  raised  by  tax  on  the  Town 
of  Marlboro  as  towTi  bounty  to  be  paid  to  each  volunteer  that 
shall  go  to  fill  the  quota  for  the  said  town  under  the  last  call  of 
the  President  for  five  hundred  thousand  volunteers  and  that 
the  same  be  assessed  on  the  town  in  ten  equal  annual  install- 
ments and  that  town  bonds  be  issued  for  the  same  until  raised 
by  tax. 

The  above  resolution  was  voted  on  by  ballot  with  the  follow- 
ing results,  viz : 

The  whole  number  of  votes  given  for  and  against  the  same 
was  two  hundred  and  sixteen  of  which  whole  number  there 
were  two  hundred  and  thirteen  votes  in  favor  of  said  resolu- 
tion, and  of  which  whole  numl)er  there  were  three  against  said 
resolution. 

The  vote  was  almost  unanimous  on  both  resolu- 
tions, showing  that  at  that  stage  of  the  war  the  peo- 
ple were  united  and  determined  to  sustain  the  war 


U6 


History  of  Marlborough. 


and  the  government,  irrespective  of  party,  and  all 
stood  ready  to  vote  their  money  away  for  that  pnr- 
l^ose.  All  realized  the  necessity  of  maintaining  the 
Union. 


Town   of   Marlborough   in   the   Civil  War. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  those  who  enlisted  in  the 
Armv  and  Navv: 


James  Anderson 
Sidney  Barnhart 
Jacob  Berrian 
Eeuben  E.  Bloomer 
Oscar  B.  Bloomer 
James  Bailey 
Walter  M.  Bailey 
Chas.  A.  Bailey 
Thomas  Brown 
Patrick  Conley 
Jos.  D.  Cassidy 
Henry  Cassidy 
David  C.  Crossbary 
John  H.  Crossl)ary 
George  W.  Detmar 
David  Davis 
Ferris  G.  Davis 
Daniel  Davis 
Benjamin  V.  C.  DeWitt 
Peter  E.  DeWitt 
George  J.  Fowler 
Lnther  P.  Hait 
John  Harding 
John  Kenney 
Edward  H.   Ketcham 
Jolm  T.  Ketcham 
John  MtVay 
Wm.  Miller 
George  H.  Miller 
John  McCarty 
John  H.  Mackey 
Charles  Lee  Mackev 


David  F.  Mackey 
Nehemiah  Mann 
Morris  Lee 
Wm.  J.  Piirdy 
Peter  V.  L.  Purdy 
Alonzo  S.  Petit 
Stephen  J.  Power 
George  W.  Quimby 
John  D.  Quimby 
Thos.  Elliot 
Chas.  H.  Free 
George  Palmateer 
Stephen  Rhodes 
George  Eyer 
Eeuben  H.  Eose 
Aaron  Ehodes 
Theodore  Ehodes 
Walter  Ehodes 
George  W.  Smith 
Henry  Scott 
Isaac  Lewis 
Phineas  H.  Smith 
Isaac  Thiels 
Peter  Terwilliger 
Jeremiah  Terwilliger 
James  Terwilliger 
Matthew  Terwilliger 
Daniel  Tuthill 
Samuel  Valentine 
John  H.  Valentine 
David  M.  Weed 
James  X.  AMiims 


Commissioned  Officers. 


347 


James  B.  Williams 
John  Wordin 
Isaac  Fletcher  "Williams 
Charles  C.  Wygant 
John  S.  Wood 
Chas.  L.  Woolsey 
C.  M.  Woolsey 
William  York 
John  H.  Dingee 
W^m.  H.  Duncan 
James  C.  Brewster 
James  M.  Benson 
R.  F.  Coutant 
Cevonia  Lounsbery 
John  Hendrickson 
Lewis  Hornbeck 
Isaac  X.  Hornbeck 


Daniel  B.  Martin 
Hezekiah  Martin 
John  Margison 
Elmore  Terwilliger 
Wm.  L.  Dougherty 
Jesse  E.  Knapp 
Oliver  Lawson 
George  Duncan 
Wm.  Duncan 
Isaac  Sims 

Navy 
Cornelius  Atherton 
David  Johnson 
Horace  B.  Sands 
John  W.  Williams 
Martin  Fisher 
Thomas  Davton 


Commissioned  Officers. 

Nehemiah  H.  Mann  was  a  Captain  in  the  4tli  N.  Y. 
Cavalry;   killed   at   Cedarville,   Virginia,   August  18,' 
1864. 

John  T.  Ketcliam  was  Second  Lieutenant,  4th  N.  Y. 
Cavalry;  died  in  Libby  Prison,  October  8,  1863. 

Edward  H.  Ketcham  was  Second  Lieutenant  in  the 
120tli  N.  Y.  Infantry;  killed  at  Gettysburgh,  July  2, 
1863. 

William  J.  Purdy  was  Second  Lieutenant  in  the 
156th  N.  Y.  Infantry. 

C.  M.  Woolsey  was  Second  and  First  Lieutenant 
and  Breveted  Captain  in  the  2d  N  Y.  Cavalry,  and 
Second  Lieutenant,  1st  Regiment  U.  S.  C.  Troops. 

Oliver   Lawson,    Second   Lieutenant,    1st   Mounted 

Eifles. 

Thomas  E.  Dayton.  Acting  Ensign  in  the  Naw- 


348  History  of  Maelboeough. 


Militia. 

After  the  War  of  the  Eevoliition,  a  militia  com- 
pany of  cavalry  was  organized  in  1804,  under  the 
command  of  William  Acker.  It  was  composed  of 
Marlborough  and  Newlmrgh  men,  and  Nathaniel 
DuBois  served  several  years  as  Captain;  the  last 
Captain  was  Robert  D.  Mapes  of  Marlborough. 

In  1823  David  W.  Woolsey  of  Marlborough  was 
commissioned  a  Captain  in  the  14tli  Eegiment  of  In- 
fantry; William  Martin  was  Captain  of  a  company; 
some  other  companies  or  parts  of  companies  were  or- 
ganized in  the  town  at  different  times.  In  November, 
18G7,  C.  M.  Woolsey  was  commissioned  and  served  as 
Commissary  First  Lieutenant  of  the  20th  Eegiment, 
N.  Y.  State  Militia  until  the  regiment  was  disbanded. 

The  first  militia  company  of  the  Precinct  of  High- 
land, which  embraced  what  is  now  our  town,  was  or- 
ganized in  1737  under  command  of  Captain  Thomas 
Ellison.  Jeuriali  Quick  and  Thomas  Quick,  who  re- 
sided here,  were  members  of  this  organization,  and 
I  think  also  John  Young,  who  was  Ensign  of  this 
company. 

Stephen  Nottingham  was  afterward  (1758)  Captain 
of  this  company  or  of  one  that  was  organized  a  few 
year  thereafter.  He  was  among  the  tirst  supervisors. 
of  the  town. 

Isaac  Purdy  was  Lieutenant  in  1761;  Nathaniel 
Potter  had  been  a  Lieutenant,  and  in  1786  he  was  Cap- 
tain, which  position  he  held  for  several  years,  also  in 
1798;  David  Ostrander,  in  what  is  now  Plattekill,  was 
Captain  in  1786;  Anning  Smith  was  Captain  in  1786 
and  for  several  years  thereafter,  resigning  in  1799 ; 
Nathaniel  Kelsey  was  Lieutenant,  and  in  1800  he  was 
Captain ;  Nathaniel  Harcourt  was  Ensign,  1786,  Lieu- 
tenant, 1799 ;  Nathaniel  DuBois  was  Ensign ;  John 
Bond,  Captain,  1792  and  for  some  years  afterward; 


Militia.  349 

Michael  Wygaut,  Lieutenant,  1792,  and  for  several 
years,,  and  was  Captain  in  1803 ;  Joseph  Morey,  En- 
sign, 1792;  Ludlani  Smith,  Ensign,  1800;  John  Wood, 
Lieutenant,  1800;  Zadoc  Lewis,  Ensign,  1815,  after- 
ward Lieutenant,  Captain  in  1820,  Major  in  1821  and 
for  many  years  following;  Abram  D.  Soper,  Lieuten- 
ant, 1820,  Captain,  1821;  William  Woolsey,  Lieuten- 
ant, 1811,  Captain,  1815,  Major,  1817;  Richard  Har- 
court.  Lieutenant,  1808,  Captain,  1809;  David  Staples, 
Ensign,  1811,  Captain  1815;  Nehemiah  L.  Smith, 
Captain,  1809,  resigned,  1815;  Valentine  Lewis,  Lieu- 
tenant; Daniel  Lester,  Lieutenant;  John  W.  Wygant, 
Lieutenant;  Samuel  Stilwell,  1823,  Quartermaster  (1st 
Lieutenant)  of  130th  Regiment,  also  in  1827,  aid-de- 
camp to  the  conmiander  of  the  23d  Brigade. 

These  appointments  were  all  under  the  old  militia 
system,  when  every  able-bodied  man  between  certain 
ages  was  liable  to  military  duty.  They  were  armed 
and  equipped  and  had  general  training  days,  which 
were  quite  an  event  in  the  community  and  many 
availed  themselves  of  the  opportunity  to  witness  the 
spectacle. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

The   Peesbyteeian    Society   and    Chuech. 

Many  of  the  earlier  settlers  of  this  town  and  the 
neighborhoods  south,  which  are  now  Newburgh  and 
Middlehope,  Avere  Presbyterians.  They  were  zealous 
in  tlieir  faith  and  early  sought  some  means  of  wor- 
ship. About  1750  they  formed  among  themselves  a 
union  for  the  worship  of  God  after  the  forms  of  the 
ancient  church,  which  they  named  the  Marlborough 
Society,  This  was  the  oldest  religious  organization 
in  what  is  now  the  Town  of  Marlborough  and  vicinity. 
The  church  edifice  which  they  erected  in  the  year  1764 
was  the  first  Presbyterian  church  in  the  county,  the 
society  having  been  organized  January  1,  1764.  The 
church  then  built  was  a  small  building  about  25  x  35 
feet,  and  its  entire  cost  was  about  £125.  This  was  in 
addition  to  the  work,  material,  etc.,  furnished  by  the 
people.  As  the  organization  increased  in  numbers, 
some  repairs  were  made  to  the  house  of  worship  in 
1787  and  1792.  About  1821  the  church  was  enlarged 
to  double  its  former  size,  painted  and  made  much 
more  attractive.  This  building  answered  all  pur- 
poses until  about  1856,  when  it  was  repaired  and  en- 
larged, repainted  and  made  attractive  and  convenient. 
In  1859  the  first  bell  was  put  in  the  tower  of  the 
church,  and  it  was  a  source  of  much  pride  and  gratifi- 
cation to  the  people.  The  building  was  burned  in 
1869,  and  the  present  large  and  conunodious  church, 
located  upon  a  new  site,  was  erected  the  following 
year  at  the  cost  of  aliout  $33,000.  It  is  a  handsome 
and  substantial  structure  with  steeple  and  bell  and 
will  seat  600  or  more  people,  and  has  a  large  Sunday- 
school  library.  A  certificate  was  recorded  in  the 
Ulster   County   Clerk's   office,   June   27,   1785,   incor- 


352  History  of  Marlborough. 

porating  the  society.  A  further  certificate  of  incor- 
l^oration  was  executed  May  14,  1795,  which  was  signed 
by  Thurston  Wood,  deacon,  and  by  Isaac  Fowler,  as 
inspectors  of  the  election  held.  The  meeting  was 
called  by  Rev,  Abel  Jackson,  then  minister,  and  the 
trustees  chosen  were  Reuben  Tooker,  Michael  Wygant, 
Jr,,  and  Andrew  Ely.  Another  certificate  was  exe- 
cuted March  29,  1850,  and  was  signed  by  Thomas  D. 
Bloomer  and  Peter  V,  B.  Fowler.  The  trustees  chosen 
were  James  Wygant,  Charles  E.  Bingham,  John 
Bloomer,  James  0.  Conklin,  Chauncey  Wygant,  and 
Barnard  Bailey ;  recorded  October  1, 1850.  The  church 
originally  had  galleries  as  was  usual  in  those  times. 
It  api^ears  to  have  kej^t  up  its  organization  and  ser- 
vices during  all  the  trying  years  of  the  Revolution; 
and  after  its  conclusion,  animated  with  zeal,  they 
commenced  in  1786  a  subscription  to  pay  for  the  ser- 
vices of  the  minister,  which  was  signed  by  ninety  men, 
being  nearly  one-half  of  the  male  heads  of  families  in 
the  town  at  that  time.  The  £90  raised  amounted  to 
about  $400,  eciuivalent  to  five  times  that  amount  at  the 
present  day,  and  very  liberal  for  those  times. 

Up  to  July,  1776,  forty-five  infants  had  been  bap- 
tized; up  to  December,  1782,  ninety;  up  to  1800  about 
two  hundred.  The  record  of  marriages  from  the 
•earliest  organization  to  the  present  time  are  full  and 
complete,  having  been  kept  with  much  care,  and  are 
several  hundred  in  number.  This  church  society  has 
seen  the  rise  and  progress  of  this  place  from  a  wilder- 
ness to  a  town  of  cultivated  fields;  from  a  sparsely 
settled,  poor  and  struggling  people,  to  a  rich  and 
populous  township.  One  generation  after  another 
has  been  born  here,  baptized  at  this  church,  married 
and  ])een  buried.  The  great  good  it  has  done,  the 
teachings  it  has  proclaimed  are  beyond  any  estimate 
which  the  present  generation  may  make.  While  the 
history     of     the     ancient     Christian     organizations 


The  Presbyterian  Society  and  Church.       353 


throughout  the  country  are  being  written  up  and 
treasured,  let  not  the  grand  old  organization  of  the 
Preshyteriau  society  of  Marlborough  be  forgotten! 
No  prouder  name  can  be  found,  no  more  worthy  or- 
ganization named! 

The  record  of  the  church  commences  as  follows: 

From  the  8th  Aug.  1763. 

1st  Subscription.  We  the  subscribers  for  an  encouragement 
towards  building  a  meeting  house  for  the  worship  of  God  near 
the  Old  mans  Creek  in  Ulster  County  to  be  founded  on  the 
Presbyterian  foundation  and  government  of  the  Kirk  of  Scot- 
land, Do  promise  to  pay,  on  demand  for  ourselves  heirs  and 
assigns  the  following  sums  annexed  to  our  names  to  those  that 
Ave  Trustees  of  said  building  provided  that  Lewis  Du  Bois  does 
give  two  acres  of  land  to  remain  for  that  use  forever  as  witness 
our  hands  Aug.  8tli  1763. 

£     S.  £     S. 

Lewis  Dubois    15  George   Stanton    1.5 

Stephen  Case    5  Joseph  Cain    1.10 

John  Woolsey    2  Urian   Mackey    1.10 

David  Brewster   1 .  10  Latting  Carpenter   .  .  . 

Joseph  Presly 0.8  John  Cosman   

Henry  Case,  Jr 1 .   8  Daniel   Thurston    .... 

Benj.   Woolsey    3.    0  Zachariah  Thurston   ., 

Louis  Adams   0.10  Wm.  Mitchell   

Thos.   Quick    0 .  10  Silas  Travis    0.16 

Thos.   Woolsey    2.00  Richard  Woolsey    3 .  00 

Mathcw  Presler 0.   8  Benj.  Carpenter   2.00 

John  Jackson   0.8  Thos.  Knowlton   2.00 

John  Harris    0.5  Eliphalet  Piatt 2.00 

Micajah  Lewis    1.    0  Elijah  Lewis    1.00 

Pheneas  Latting 1.    0  James  Quimby    3.00 

James  Merritt  0.15  Nehemiah   Fowler    ....  0.16 

Michael  Wygant    2.00  Alexander  Colden    ....  0.16 

Joseph  Hallett   1.   4  Jonathan  Hasbrouck   ..  1.   4 

&  16  others  in  all  73  L.  2  S. 

A  Register  of  proceeding  was  commenced  1st  Jan.  1764. 
Stephen  Case  was  appointed  Clerk  '&  his  duty  was  to  be  As 
follows  to  keep  an  exact  &  true  account  of  all  money  raised  by 
subscription  towards  building  &  finishing  meeting  house  & 
how  it  was  disposed  of  from  time  to  time  for  the  satisfaction 
12 


1. 

0 

1. 

0 

1. 

0 

0. 

8 

1. 

0 

354  History  of  Marlborough. 


of  all  whom  it  may  concern  likewise  an  account  of  all  meet- 
ings &  who  is  chosen  committee  to  transact  business  or  any 
other  church  officers  &  also  of  persons  married,  baptised,  or 
buried  in  said  society  &  to  keep  &  take  care  of.  said  record  & 
all  other  books,  papers  &c  relating  to  said  society  &  when  re- 
quired to  deliver  the  same  to  any  other  appointed. 

April  6th  17 64.  Stephen  Case  and  John  Woolsey  Avere  ap- 
pointed Trustees  to  receive  the  Deed  for  Church  T^ot  from 
Lieutenant  Lewis  Dubois  for  the  land  &  it  was  also  agreed 
that  it  should  be  for  One  &  a  half  acres  instead  of  2  acres  & 
it  was  also  agreed  that  the  Minister  or  some  other  persons  shall 
have  legal  right  to  call  meetings  whenever  necessary  to  elect 
other  trustees  or  to  transact  any  other  business  in  relation  to 
church  matters  &  all  business  sball  he  transacted  Ijy  a  ma- 
jority  of   voices   present. 

Deed  made  the  5th  day  of  April  &  4th  year  of  the  reign  of 
George  the  3rd  One  thousand  seven  hundred  &  sixty-four.  Be- 
tween Lewis  Du  Bois  of  first  part  &  Stephen  Case  &  John 
Woolsey  Trustees  of  2d  part.  Witnesseth  that  said  Lewis  Du 
Bois  in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  five  shilling  current  lawful 
money  of  N  A'ork  to  him  in  hand  paid  &  in  consideration  of 
that  paternal  love  &  regard  he  hath  for  &  towards  the  propaga- 
tion of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  agreeable  to  the  articles 
of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland  in  the  Presl)yterian  Faith  &c  Doth 
grant  bargain  and  sell  unto  said  Trustees  &  their  successors  to 
perpetuate  succession  forever,  one  acre  &  a  half  of  land  for  to 
build  a  meeting  house  on  &  for  a  Burying  yard,  for  the  use 
benefit  &  advantage  of  said  Marlborough  Society  &  their  heirs 
forever.  Beginning  at  a  stone  set  in  the  ground  the  east  side 
of  Highway  &  marked  M.  B.  Y.  thence  easterly  along  the  south 
line  of  the  tract  three  chains  &  eighty-seven  links  &  keeping 
that  width  &  parallel  with  the  road  until  it  includes  one  & 
a  half  acres  to  have  &  to  hold  the  same  forever.  Provided  said 
society  do  at  all  times  call,  choose  a  Minister  of  the  Gospel 
to  maintain  &  keep  the  articles  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland  agree- 
able to  their  confession  &c 

Signed     LEWLS  DUBOIS 
Witness     Humphrey  ]\Ierritt 
Samuel  Merritt 
Elijah  Baldwin 

First  sermon  ]3reached  in  Church  liy  Eev.  Charles  J.  Smith. 

There   was   laid   out   in   building  meeting  house   93   £   2    S 

Collected   73  £  2   S.     Balance  20  £  0  S.     Borrowed  July  9th 


The  Presbyteeian  Society  and  Church.       355 


1764  of  Capt.  Jonathan  Hasbroiick  20  £.     Lewis  DuBois,  John 
Woolsey  &  Stephen  Case  bound  to  pay  the  same. 

Fel).  25th  ITGo.  2(1  Subscription.  To  finish  the  house  & 
make  it  comfortal)le,  that  is  to  lay  tlie  floors,  put  glass  in  the 
windows,  make  doors  il^re.,  agree  to  pay  as  follows  on  demand. 

£     S  £     S 

Stephen   Case    1.10       John  Quick    0.    2 

Annanias  Valentine   ..    1.00        David  Merritt    0.    3 

Lewis  Dubois    G .  00       Josiah   Merritt    0 .    2 

Absolam  Case 0 .    8        Michael  Wygant   0 .    5 

Seth  Hubble   0.10       John  Woolsey    1.10 

Zadock  LeAvis    0.   8  Morris   Flewelling    ...  0.    6 

James  Townsend    ....    0 .    2        Isaac  Fowler 1 .    5 

Samuel  Merritt   0.10       Jacob  Winner   0.    8 

Danl  Thurston   0.15  Thomas  Knowlton   ...  1.   0 

Eichard   AYoolsev    0.12  


John  Cosman   0.    5  £17.    IS 

All  laid  out  in  laying  floors  &c,  and  paying  interest  &c. 

STEPHEX  CASE     Clerk 
April  23d. 

December  30th  1765.  This  day  was  chosen  a  committee  for 
Marlborough  Society  &  a  Moderator. 

Viz :  Thomas  Knowlton,  j\Ioderator ;  Capt.  Eichard  Wool- 
sey,  Lieut.  Lewis  Du  Bois,  Eliphalet  Piatt  &  Daniel  Thurston, 
Committee. 

Said  committee  to  be  responsible  for  the  sum  raised  for  the 
support  of  a  minister  for  one  year. 

Jan.  20th  1767.  This  day  was  chosen  by  a  majority  of  voices 
a  Committee  &  Moderator. 

Viz :  Lewis  Du  Bois,  Moderator ;  Thomas  Knowlton,  Ben- 
jamin Carpenter,   Stephen  Case  &  Daniel   Sniffin,   Committee. 

Said  committee  to  be  responsible  for  moneys  raised  for  the 
support  of  a  minister  for  one  year. 

Sept.  25th  1773.  This  day  hired  Eev.  John  McCallah  for 
six  months  to  preach,  one  half  the  time  in  the  Meeting  house 
&  the  other  half  towards  Xewburgh.  Two  trustees  to  be  ac- 
countable for  the  sum  of  £  20,  12  S.  &  the  lower  or  jSTewburgh 
society  for  the  remainder  of  his  salary. 

9th  July  1771.  Trustees  Stephen  Case  &  John  Woolsey  & 
Lewis  Du  Bois  met  &  settled  all  accoimt  against  meeting  house 
&  found  the  balance  7  £  10  S.  &  3  D.— which  they  divided 
between  &  paid,  &  society  to  pay  them  again  out  of  first  monev 
made  bv  collection  or  otlierwise. 


356  History  of  Marlboeough. 

April  23d  1775.  Eev.  Nathan  Kerr  preached  &  administered 
the  Lord's  Supper  for  the  first  time  to  6  memhers  &  Caleb 
Fowler  an  infant  baptised. 

April  6th  178J:.  A  general  act  of  Incorporation  was  passed 
for  all  religious  denominations  within  the  state  &  the  Society 
met  38th  day  of  April  1785  &  organized  agreeable  to  that  act 
by  choosing  nine  Trustees  viz :  Anning  Smith,  Jonathan 
Brown,  Michael  Wygant,  Isaac  Fowler,  Jr.,  Eeuben  Tooker, 
Nathaniel  Du  Bois,  Daniel  Kelsey,  Samuel  Stratton  &  Wolveft 
Ecker  &  Dr.  Benjamin  Ely,  Clerk. 

July  9th  1785.  Trustees  met  &  chose  Dr.  Benjamin  Ely, 
Clerk,  Treasurer  &  Collector. 

Sept.  30th  1785.  Trustees  met  &  settled  with  Capt.  Stephen 
Case  in  relation  to  a  Lottery  &  they  found  due  him  8  £ 
3  S.  9  D. — which  sum  he  generously  gave  to  the  Society  &  gave 
a  receipt  in  full  &  at  the  same  time  the  Trustees  divided  them- 
selves into  three  classes,  to  wit:  1st,  2d  &  3d. 

March  1st  1786.  A  subscription  was  started  to  raise  money 
to  pay  for  the  support  of  a  minister  for  the  half  of  the  time  for- 
one  year  &  to  preach  tlie  other  half  some  where  in  New  Paltz. 
Ninety  persons  subscribed  &  raised  the  sum  of  £  90. 

June  10th  1786.  Trustees  met  &  resolved  to  send  to  New 
England  to  get  a  minister  to  supply  them  for  one  year  &  that 
Dr.  Benjamin  Ely  be  appointed  to  go  &  to  have  six  weeks  time 
to  do  the  same. 

Eesolved  That  no  Baptist  or  separate  Preacher  he  allowed  or 
admitted  to  preach  in  the  Meeting  house  under  any  pretense 
whatever  without  the  joint  &  mutual  consent  of  the  Trustees  or 
a  majority  of  them. 

Sept.  12th  1786.  At  a  parisli  meeting  this  day  at  the  Meet- 
ing house  Ebenezer  Perkins,  John  Thorp  &  Benjamin  Car- 
penter were  elected  Trustees. 

Dec.  1786.  Repairs  &c  upon  Church  &  subscription  to  pay 
same. 

Feb.  18th,  1787.  At  a  Parish  meeting  this  day  Voted  that 
the  supply  should  have  £  1  12  S.  per  Sabbath. 

Sept.  11th  1787.  At  a  parish  meeting  this  day  voted  that 
the  Eev.  Mr.  Osborn  be  employed  to  preach  for  three  months 
provided  he  will  accept  of  32  S.  per  Sabbath  Exclusive  of 
board. 

Voted  Also  that  Major  Du  Bois,  Capt.  Jolin  Woolsey  &  Wol- 
vert  Ecker  be  exempt  from  paying  part  thereof  in  consequence 
of  their  generous  offer  to  board  Mr.   Osborn  &   a   Committee 


A  New  Organization  of  the  Church.         357 

waited  upon  Mr.  Osboru  to  inform  him  of  the  proposal  whicli 
he  readily  accepted. 

Sept.  25th  1787.  Parish  meeting  to  elect  Trustees.  John 
Fowler,  Matthew  Wygant,  &  Nathaniel  Dn  Bois  chosen. 

Sept.  19th  1788.  Parish  meeting  to  choose  Trustees.  Ann- 
ing  Smith,  Eeuben  Tooker  &  John  Fowler  were  elected  &  Eben- 
ezer  Foot  in  place  of  Xath'l  Du  Bois,  Deceased. 

March  7th  1792.  Parish  meeting  to  classify  trustees  &  to 
choose  a  Clerk  &  Allen  Lester  was  chosen.  A  subscription 
started  to  raise  money  to  employ  Reverend  Mr.  Jackson  to 
preach  the  half  of  the  time  for  one  year,  &  raised  money  to 
do  the  same.  Mr.  Jackson  began  to  labor  in  Marlborough 
Mav  1792  &  was  ordained  at  Marlborough  Nov.  1792. 


~  A   New   Organization   of   the   Church. 

Oct.  1st  1793.  At  a  meeting  previously  appointed  by  Eev. 
Mr.  Jackson  for  the  purpoSe  of  constituting  a  Church.  Eev, 
Amsi  Lewis,  Daniel  Marsh,  Jeremiah  Crosby  &  Abel  Jackson 
present,  after  Prayer,  the  Persons  present  were  organized  intcp 
a  Church,    *     *     *    ^^  agreed  to  the  following  articles  of  faith.- 

1st.  That  none  are  qualified  to  enter  into  such  covenant 
relation  unless  they  are  real  friends  of  Jesus  Christ  &  his 
cause  &  therefore  none  are  to  be  admitted  to  such  covenant 
relation  unless  they  profess  repentance  towards  God  &  faith 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  &  whose  fruit,  both  in  life  &  con- 
serv'ation  is  agreeable  to  such  profession. 

2d.  That  those  children  whose  parents  are  one  or  both  of 
them  such  professors  are  included  in  the  covenant  &  ought 
to  l)e  baptised.  That  baptised  children  are  to  be  considered  as 
belonging  to  the  Church  &  subject  to  discipline  according  to 
their  age  &  capacity.  That  baptised  persons  are  not  to  be  ad- 
mitted to  the  Lord's  supper,  or  baptism  for  their  children 
without  such  acknowledgment  of  their  baptismal  obligations  as 
amounts  to  the  profession  required  of  adults. 

3d,  4tb,  5th,  6th,  7th,  8th,  &  9th  are  omitted,  it  amounted  to 
an  independent  organization  &  Articles  of  faith  with  7  Sections  ' 
&  the  usual  Cliurch  Covenant  were  all  adopted  &  Mr.  Lewis 
preached  a  sermon  from  Eph.  2d,  22d.  Mr.  March  made  the 
concluding  Prayer  &  after  singing  Psalm  132  Mr.  Lewis  dis- 
missed the  people.  ; 

Nov.  23d  1793.  *  *  *  The  question  being  asked  whom 
Ave  ought  to  invite  to  commune  with  us.  Voted  to  invite  all 
friends  of  Jesus  Christ  wlio  are  in  regular  standing  in  other 
visiljle  churches.     *     *     * 


358  History  of  Marlborough. 

For  about  ten  years  after  Mr.  Jackson  left,  the 
clinrch  was  without  any  settled  minister.  During  this 
time  the  inilpit  was  supplied  by  Isaac  Sargeant,  Wm. 
Bull,  Ambrose  Porter,  Richard  Andrews,  Joel  T. 
Benedict,  and  others  all  of  the  same  ecclesiastical 
order  as  Mr.  Jackson.  Mr.  Bull,  who  sup])lied  the 
pulpit  for  some  length  of  time,  was  an  Englishman, 
exceedingly  eccentric,  and  very  prolix  in  his  perform- 
ances. He  was  a  bachelor;  and  sometimes  in  Vne 
family  where  he  boarded,  continued  so  long  in  prayer 
at  family  worship  that  all  deserted  him.  At  a  funeral 
he  was  knowii  to  protract  his  address  till  interrupted 
and  admouished  that  it  would  be  too  dark  to  bury  the 
dead.  Mr.  Benedict  is  said  to  have  been  a  man  of 
•ardent  piety,  untiring  zeal,  and  much  eloquence,  and 
to  have  drawn  large  congregations  to  listen  to  his 
preaching. 

So  far  there  had  never  been  any  special  awakening 
of  the  church.  The  whole  number  that  had  been  ad- 
mitted to  the  church,  up  to  1808,  was  71,  of  whom  53 
were  still  members. 

Being  wearied  with  difficulties  growing  out  of  their 
Church  government,  and  discouraged  about  obtain- 
ing jDermanent  supplies  of  their  present  denomina- 
tion, in  1809  the  people  began  to  turn  their  attention 
to  the  Presliyterian  Church.  Mr.  Jas.  I.  Ostram,  a 
'Candidate  for  the  gospel  ministry,  under  the  care  of 
the  Presbytery  of  Hudson,  occasionally  attended 
religious  meetings  among  them  for  some  months. 
They  also  obtained  some  supplies  from  that  Presby- 
tery. In  April,  1810,  they  applied  by  their  commis- 
sioners, Charles  Millard  and  Leonard  Smith,  to  be 
taken  under  the  care  of  the  Pludson  Presbytery.  At 
the  same  meeting  of  the  Presbytery,  Mr.  Ostram  was 
licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel,  and  on  the  first  Sal)bath 
thereafter  agreed  to  accept  a  call  from  this  people, 
in  connection  with  the  congregation  of  New  Paltz.  He 


The  Presbyterian  Society  and  Church.       359 

labored  among  them  as  a  licentiate  till  September, 
when  he  was  ordained  and  installed  over  them  by  the 
Presbytery  of  Hudson. 

In  October,  1811,  a  special  season  of  divine  influence 
began  in  this  congregation  and  continued  till  the  fol- 
lowing spring,  adding  to  the  church  116  members. 
During  the  period  of  this  work  nothing  special  ap- 
peared in  Paltz,  although  within  six  miles,  and  enjoy- 
ing precisely  the  same  means  of  grace;  illustrating 
most  clearly  the  sovereignty  of  divine  grace,  and 
teaching  us  that  the  Lord  "  will  have  mercy  on  whom 
he  will  have  mercy."  About  the  middle  of  February, 
1820,  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  visit  them  with  another 
revival,  which  added  to  the  church  150  more,  90  in  a 
single  day,  of  whom  60  had  not  been  before  baptized. 

Being  thus  increased  in  numbers,  and  having  en- 
larged their  house  of  worship  to  double  its  former 
size,  in  1827  the  congregation  was  separated  from  that 
of  Paltz,  the  pastoral  relation  of  Mr.  Ostram  to  Paltz 
dissolved,  and  his  labors  confined  to  Marlborough. 
Here  he  continued  his  ministry  till  March,  1829,  when, 
having  accepted  a  call  from  the  church  in  Salina,  his 
relation  to  this  church  was  dissolved. 

The  first  bench  of  ruling  elders  ordained  and  in- 
stalled here  in  1810,  when  the  church  was  organized 
in  a  Presbyterian  form,  was  composed  as  follows, 
viz. :  Charles  Millard,  Leonard  Smith,  Allen  Lester, 
Andrew  Ely,  and  Nathaniel  Bailey.  Of  these,  Charles 
Millard  departed  this  life  April  30,  1827.  He  was 
a  man  of  blessed  memory,  a  devout  Christian,  and 
ready  for  every  useful  work.  His  character  and 
not  wealth  made  him  a  controlling  spirit  among  the 
people.  Andrew  Ely  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution. 
Of  Allen  Lester  we  have  the  following  record:  ''  He 
departed  this  life  July  24,  1834,  in  the  78th  year  of 
his  age.  He  was  the  first  deacon  (he  was  both  deacon 
and  elder)  in  this  church;  had  lived  a  useful  life  and 


360  History  of  Marlborough. 

died  lamented."  We  have  no  donbt,  from  the  busi- 
ness intrusted  to  Col.  Smith,  and  the  fidelity  with 
which  he  discharged  it,  that  he  was  a  man  of  worth. 

In  November,  1829,  this  church  extended  a  call  to 
the  Eev.  John  H.  Leggett  of  Peekskill,  and  he  was  in- 
stalled their  pastor  the  7th  day  of  January  following. 
Next  spring  it  pleased  God  to  visit  the  church  with 
"  a  time  of  ref resiling, "  and  it  received  an  addition 
of  more  than  forty  members.  Again,  in  the  autumn 
of  1832  the  Lord  poured  out  His  Spirit  among  them, 
and  about  forty  more  were  added  to  the  church.  In 
April,  1833,  Mr.  Leggett  having  received  a  call 
from  the  church  at  Hopwell,  Orange  county,  the 
pastoral  relation  between  him  and  this  church  was 
dissolved.  It  may  seem  strange  that  a  r-evival  of 
religion  was  followed  so  soon  by  such  a  result.  Mr. 
Leggett  continued  his  labors  in  Hopewell  till  1854, 
when  feeling  his  health  inadeciuate  to  such  a  charge, 
he  accepted  a  call  to  the  church  in  the  village  of 
Middletown. 

On  the  16th  day  of  September  following,  this  church 
made  a  call  for  the  services  of  the  Eev.  Leonard  John- 
son, who  was  installed  their  pastor  on  the  2d  day  of 
October,  1833.  He  labored  here  a  little  more  than  one 
year,  and  on  the  29th  day  of  January,  1835,  his  rela- 
tion to  this  church  being  dissolved,  he  removed  to 
Broome  county,  where,  after  a  long  pastorate  of 
nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century,  he  died  in  1859. 

Weary  with  changes,  the  people  began  to  turn  their 
minds  again  toward  their  old  pastor,  who  had  left 
them  seven  years  since ;  and  they  resolved  now  to 
extend  him  a  call,  offering  a  larger  salary  than  before 
and  seeking  to  induce  him  to  return.  This  call  he 
accepted,  and  was  installed  again  over  them  in  the 
spring  of  1835.  This  time,  however,  his  stay  among 
them  was  brief,  being  but  little  more  than  three  years, 
yet  he  left  behind  some  substantial  results.     He  was 


The  Presbyterian  Society  and  Church.       361 

instrumental  in  leading  the  people  to  erect  a  cheap 
parsonage,  which  has  greatly  increased  the  comfort 
and  usefulness  of  his  successors.  In  July,  1838,  Mr. 
Ostram  having  received  a  call  from  the  Fourth  Free 
Presbyterian  Church  in  New  York  city,  the  pastoral 
relation  was  again  dissolved.  Here  he  continued  to 
labor  till  1852,  when,  under  the  infirmities  of  age,  li-e 
left  the  city  and  retired  to  the  village  of  New  Wind- 
sor. Here  he  continued  to  reside,  performing  more 
or  less  pastoral  labor  as  his  health  permitted. 

At  the  time  of  the  division  of  the  General  Assembly, 
which  took  place  this  year,  this  church  was  found  in 
the  new  school  body.  Accordingly,  Mr.  Henry  Belden, 
a  licentiate  of  the  Third  Presbytery  of  New  York, 
came  among  them  and  supplied  the  pulpit  from  Janu- 
ary 1,  to  April  15,  1839.  At  that  time  he  received 
from  them  a  call,  and  was  installed  their  pastor  the 
second  day  of  May.  He  continued  his  labors  here 
about  seventeen  months,  and  was  instrumental  in 
adding  about  forty  to  the  church.  But  his  doctrinal 
^dews,  and  the  measures  which  he  adopted,  were  such 
that  a  large  majority  of  the  congregation  became  dis- 
satisfied, and  in  October,  1840,  the  pastoral  relation 
was  dissolved.  The  church  had  a  hard  time  to  get 
rid  of  Belden.  "  Had  to  call  Presbytery  to  get  rid 
of  Mr.  Belden  on  account  of  his  abolition  principles. 
Presbytery  decided  for  him  to  leave,  and  he  appealed 
to  the  Synod  and  congregation  changed  to  the  Old 
School  to  get  rid  of  it."  Mr.  Belden  was  afterward 
suspended  from  the  functions  of  the  gospel  ministry 
by  this  Presbytery  for  want  of  doctrinal  soundness. 
Soon  afterward,  having  received  a  license  from  Ober- 
lin,  he  Iniilt  a  church  at  Washingtonville,  Orange 
county,  of  his  own  order,  in  which  he  labored  for  a 
short  time.  Thence  he  removed  to  the  city  of  New 
York. 

A  portion  of  this  congregation,  who   s^Tupathized 


362  History  of  Marlborough. 

more  strongly  with  the  New  School  body  than  others^ 
at  this  time  erected  a  house  of  worship  in  Milton; 
September  27,  1841,  certificates  were  granted  to  fif- 
teen of  these  persons,  residing  in  and  near  Milton, 
for  the  purpose  of  l)eing  constituted  a  separate  church. 
The  remainder  of  the  congregation  appointed  dele- 
gates to  meet  the  Old  School  Presbytery  of  North 
River  and  to  renew  their  connection  with  that  body. 

On  the  25th  day  of  January,  1811,  the  Presbytery 
appointed  the  Rev.  John  H.  Carle  as  stated  supply  of 
the  church  of  Marlborough.  He  continued  his  labors 
here  till  the  spring  of  1842,  when  he  went  to  the 
church  at  Rondout  to  officiate  in  the  same  capacity. 
After  a  few  years  in  that  place,  he  returned  to  the 
Dutch  church,  and  labored  for  some  time  near  Cana- 
joharie. 

In  the  spring  of  1842  the  congregation  sent  to 
Princeton  for  supplies  and  were  directed  by  the  pro- 
fessors, among  others,  to  Rev.  S.  H.  Jagger,  then  a 
licentiate  of  the  Presbytery  of  Long  Island.  He  com- 
menced preaching  here  on  the  15th  day  of  May,  and 
on  the  27tli  day  of  June  the  people  gave  him  a  unani- 
mous call  to  become  their  pastor,  which  he  accepted. 
He  found  the  church  much  divided,  owing  to  the  re- 
cent change  of  ecclesiastical  relations  and  other  mat- 
ters. Many  having  deserted  their  own  church,  were 
worshiping  elsewhere.  Although  in  a  short  time  most 
of  these  breaches  were  healed,  the  pastor  labored 
eighteen  years  without  witnessing  any  extensive  re- 
vival and  was  instrumental  in  adding  but  one  hundred 
to  the  church  during  this  long  period.  At  the  begin- 
ning of  his  pastorate,  the  parsonage  was  mortgaged 
for  nearly  its  full  value.  This  debt  was  soon  paid; 
and  the  house,  barn  and  grounds  have  since  been  much 
enlarged. 


The  Presbyterian  Society  and  Church.       363 


Some  of  the  earlier  supplies  were:  Rev.  Abner 
Brush,  Rev.  Wheeler  Case,  Rev.  Mr.  Peppard,  Rev. 
Mr.  McCallah,  Rev.  Nathan  Kerr,  Rev.  Mr.  Aiming, 
Rev.  Mr.  Close,  Rev.  J.  Moffatt,  Rev.  Stephen  Gote- 
chius.  Rev.  Mr.  Ganse,  Rev.  Andrew  King,  Rev. 
Chauncey  Graham,  Rev.  Samuel  Sackett. 

A  list  of  pastors  of  the  church  are;  September,  1806, 
Rev  Ambrose  Porter  was  ordained  pastor.  The  sub- 
sequent pastors  have  been  Rev.  James  Ostram,  1810- 
1829;  Rev.  John  H.  Leggett,  1830-33;  Rev.  Leonard 
Johnson  1833-35;  Rev.  James  I.  Ostram,  1835-38; 
Rev.  Henry  Belden,  1839-40;  Rev.  John  H.  Earl, 
stated  supply,  one  year;  Rev.  Samuel  H.  Jagger, 
1842-69 ;  Rev.  Charles  W.  Cooper,  1870-75 ;  Rev.  Dun- 
can C.  Niven,  1875-83;  Rev.  Charles  E.  Bronson,. 
1881-92;  Rev.  Charles  L.  Carhart,  1892-99;  Rev. 
William  Coombe,  1900-08. 

The  elders  of  the  church  since  its  organization  in 
1810:  Gen.  Leonard  Smith,  Charles  Millard,  Andrew 
Ely,  Allen  Lester,  Nathaniel  Bailey,  Michael  W^ygant, 
Joshua  Conklin,  Gilbert  Kniffin,  Daniel  Wygant, 
Jonathan  Cosman,  Bernard  Bailey,  Peter  V.  Fowler, 
Thomas  D.  Bloomer,  James  0.  Conklin,  Asbury  AVy- 
gant,  Augustus  G.  Clark,  Charles  E.  Bingham,  Charles 
M.  Purdy,  Joshua  Ward,  William  D.  Barnes,  Cornel- 
ius D.  Bloomer,  John  Bloomer,  Daniel  Lockwood, 
Francis  R.  Shrive,  Richard  B.  Norton,  and  William 
J.  Burrows.  The  present  deacons  are:  Levi  D. 
McMullen,  A.  B.  Eckerson,  Samuel  B.  Wygant.  The 
trustees  are  Richard  B.  Norton,  J.  Foster  Wygant, 
Eli  Harcourt,  Frank  Sands,  Benjamin  Harcourt, 
Edwin  W.  Barnes,  William  Y.  Vellie,  J.  Calvin  Wy- 
gant. The  present  membership  is  322.  The  church  is 
one  of  the  strongest  and  richest  in  the  county  of 
Ulster. 


364  History  of  Marlborough. 


The  First  Baptisms,  Marriages,    and  Deaths. 

Aug.  8th  1TG3.     First  subscription  for  Marlborough  Church. 

April  oth  17G4.  Deed  was  given  by  Lieut.  Lewis  Du  Bois 
for  one  &  half  acres. 

Aug.  36th  1764.  First  sermon  preached  in  M  Church  by 
Eev.  Charles  J.  Smith. 

March  3d  1T6-J:.  First  person  buried  namely  an  infant  of 
James  Merritt.  Another  infant  of  James  Merritt  &  also  one  of 
Thomas  Silkworth. 

Jan.  23d  1766.  Eev.  Abner  Brush  preached  &  baptised  a 
child  of  Thomas  Quick  named  Sarah.  One  of  Peter  Fompell 
named  Charlotte.  One  of  Zadwick  Miller  named  Peter  &  one 
of  John  LT.  Wygant  named  Sarah. 

Feb.  13th  1766.  Was  buried  Mrs.  P]lizal)cth  Piatt  first  grown 
person,  wife  of  E.  Piatt. 

July  1st  1766.  Baptised  a  child  of  Urian  Mackey  named 
Elias. 

June  8th  1766.  Rev.  Wheeler  Case  Preached  eV'  l)a|)tised  a 
child  of  E.  Piatt.     Elizabeth. 

July  13th.  liev.  A.  Brush  preached  &  baptised  child  of 
David  Smith.     David. 

Nov.  33d  1766.  Mr.  Brush  baptised  a  child  of  Israel  Piatt. 
Named  Edmund. 

Feb.  18th  1767.  Eev.  Wheeler  Case  baptised  a  child  of 
Gilbert  Denton  named  Johanna  &  also  one  of  Burris  Holmes 
named  Thomas. 

Feb.  35th.  Eev.  Wheeler  Case  preached  &  baptised  child  of 
Stephen  Case.     Name  Wheeler. 

May  3d.  Eev.  A.  Brush  preached  &  baptised  a  child  of 
Hugh  Gambb  named  Hugh. 

July  3d  1767.  Eev.  A.  Brush  married  Daniel  Knif!in  & 
31artha   Thurston. 

July  13th.  Mr.  Brush  baptised  two  children  of  Joshua 
Conklin  named  Eachel  &  Joshua. 

Same  day  child  of  Lemuel  Conklin  named  Benjamin  Hairs. 

July  86.  Mr.  Brush  baptised  a  child  of  Tunis  Dolson  named 
Mary.     Same  day  one  of  John  Simpson  named  Samuel. 

Aug.  30th  1767.  Eev.  Mr.  Brush  baptised  a  child  of  Lieut. 
Lewis  Du  Bois  named  Jonathan. 

Nov.  3d.     This  day  buried  Joseph  Taylor:     No.  5. 

Nov.  3-4th.  This  day  was  l)uried  Mrs.  Eachel  Du  Bois  wife 
of  Lieut.   Du  Bois. 

Dec.  1767.  This  day  married  Henry  Little  &  Kasiah  Smith. 


The  First  Baptisms,  Maeriages,  and  Deaths.     365 


Jan.  2Tth  IT 68.  Married  Eichard  Albertson  to  Eebecca  Sim- 
son. 

Jan.  27tli  IT 68.     William  Durkee  to  Anne  Weekam. 

Feb.  2d,  1T68.  This  day  bnried  Jonathan  son  of  Lieut.  Lewis 
Du  Bois. 

May  8th.  Eev.  Mr.  Brush  baptised  a  child  of  Peter  Pom- 
prises  named   Mary. 

Sept.  25th  was  buried  an  infant  of  Lemuel  Conklin. 

June  19th  1T69.  Buried  Joseph  a  son  of  Henry  Deyo. 

Aug.  l-ith  1T69.  Buried  James  N'orton  &  also  an  infant  of 
Delwranee  Banker. 

Aug.    19th    1T69.  Buried   a   daughter   of   James   ISTorton. 

Aug.  28th.     Buried  Samuel  son  of  John  Dolson. 

Xov.  13th.     Buried  Sarah  daughter  of  William  Waring. 

Dec.  ITth.    Burried  Ann  wife  of  William  Dun. 

Dec.  25th.  Buried  Jemima  wife  of  William  Mosier  &  also  an 
infant  one  coffin. 

April  Kith  ITTO.     Buried  Isabel  wife  of  John  Davis. 

July  15th.  Buriwl  Robert  Quimby  who  died  with  the  small 
pox. 

Aug.  16th.  Eev.  Mr.  Peppard  preached  &  baptised  two 
children  of  John  Wygant  one  named  Jane  the  other  Elizabeth. 

March  11th  ITTl.     Buried  Martha  wife  Isaac  Polwer,  Jur. 

March  13th.  Buried  an  infant  of  Isaac  Folwer,  Jr.  in  the 
same  grave  with  wife.     Both  died  with  small  pox. 

May  15th  1TT2.     Buried  an  infant  of  Benjamin  Woolsey. 

July  29th  1TT2.     Buried  a  son  of  Samuel  Townsend. 

Oct.  18th.     Buried  an  infant  of  Doct,  Abijah  Perkins. 

Oct.  18.     Also  the  same  parent  a  male  infant. 

June  1st  1773.  Rev.  Mr.  Brush  married  Alexander  Cropsy 
to  Elizalieth  Valentine. 

June  7th.     Buried  Amy  Miller. 

Sept.   11th.     Buried  an  infant  of  Silas  Purdy. 

Sept.  19th.  Rev.  Mr.  McCallali  preached  &  baptised  a  son 
&  daughter  of  Stephen  Case  named  Gabriel  &  Easter,  also  a 
daughter  of  Doct.  Abijah  Perkins  named  Hannah  &  a  daughter 
of  John  Bond  named  Elizabeth. 

■  Sept.  25th  1773.     This*  day  engaged  Rev.  Mr.  McCallah  to 
preach  six  months. 

Sept.  26th.  Mr.  McCallah  preached  &  baptised  a  child  of 
John  Stevins  named  Mary. 

Dec.  1st  1773.  Married  Thomas  Cambell  to  Elizabeth 
Cropsie. 


366  History  of  Marlborough. 

Dec.  5th.  Baptised  a  child  of  Benjamin  Carpenter  named 
Jacob. 

Dec.  l"2tli.     Married  Jolin  Dutlield  to  Jerusha  Knowlton. 

Dec.  IDth.     Buried  Cornelius  son  of  Lieut.  Lewis  Du  Bois. 

Jan.  23d  17T4.     Buried  Theodiaca  Smith. 

Jan.  30th.  Buried  Elsie  Rudgers  wife  of  Danl.  &  mother  of 
Thadeas   Smith. 

April   11th.     Buried  Daniel  son  &  brother  to  the  above. 

July  21st.  Buried  William  son  of  David  McMinn  from 
Scotland. 

16th  Nov.     Buried  a  male  infant  of  Dr.  Abijali  Perkins. 

Nov.  28th  i:;4.  Paid  Mr.  McCallah  in  full  for  six  months 
preaching. 

Dec.  36.  Buried  two  children  of  Jacob  Degroot  who  were 
burned  to  death. 

Jan.  3d  1775.     Buried  Rumbout  Bogardus. 

Jan.   7th   1775.     Buried  John  Corbit. 

Jan.  22d.  Baptised  by  Rev.  Samson  Occum  a  son  of  Lewis 
Du  Bois  named  Lewis. 

Same  day  a  daughter  of  Wm.  McKinney  named   Sarah. 

Feb.  24.  Buried  Charlotte  daughter  of  Stephen  Case  aged 
5  mo.  21  days. 

March  5.  Buried  a  daughter  of  John  Polhemus  named 
Phebe. 

April  22d.  Buried  an  infant  daughter  of  Benjamin  Wool- 
sey. 

April  23d  1775.  Rev.  Nathan  Kerr  administered  the  Lord's 
Supper  for  the  first  time  to  this  Church  to  six  persons,  same 
dav  baptised  a  child  of  Isaac  Fowler  Jr.  named  Caleb.  Father 
of  P.  V.  B.  Fowler. 

May  23d.     Buried  Jacob  Dolson  who  died  with  small  pox. 

May  30th.  Buried  Elizabeth  Silkworth  daughter  of  Thomas 
■Silkworth. 

Aug.  15th.  Rev.  Mr.  Anning  preached  &  baptised  John  a  son 
'of  Samuel  Hannah,  &  also  Elizabeth  daughter  of  David  Mc- 
Minn. 

Aug.  27.  Rev.  Mr.  Close  preached  &  baptised  Joseph  a  son 
•of  John   Stevinson. 

Nov.  12th.  Rev.  J.  Moffatt  married  James  Leonard  to 
Massah  Townsend. 

Nov.  24th.  Buried  Mr.  Hannah  Collins.  No.  43  in  the 
-graveyard. 

Nov.  25.     Buried  Appollos  Case  No.  44. 


Aug. 

24th. 

coffin. 

Aug. 

25tli. 

Sept. 

5th. 

Sept. 

17th. 

Sept. 

29th. 

Oct. 

27th. 

Nov. 

25th. 

>^ov. 

2Gth. 

The  First  Baptisms,  Marriages,  and  Deaths.     367 

Feb.  12th  1776.  William  Wight  married  to  Jane  Conklin 
by  Mr.  Lewis. 

Apr.  1-1.  Eev.  Mr.  Kerr  preached  &  baptised  a  child  of 
Benj.  Carpenter  named  William  &  one  of  Dr.  Abijah  Perkins 
named  George  Whitfield,  &  one  of  Solomon  Warring  named 
Derrick  &  one  of  Lewis  Du  Bois  named  Margaret  &  one  of 
Josepli  Dun  named  Juliana.     Make  38  infants  baptised,  in  all. 

June  14tli  1776.     Buried  Thomas  Pembrook.     Xo.  -15. 

Aug.  18th.  Buried  Sibba  Scott  daughter  of  William  Scott. 
Buried  Mary  Caniff  &  a  female  infant  in  one 

Buried   Gloriana  daughter  of  Wm.   Quick. 
Buried  Henry  son  of  Henry  Decker. 
Buried   Pernino  Springer. 
Buried  Catharine  Smith.     No.  52. 
Buried   James   son   of   Joseph   Carpenter. 
Buried  Elizabeth  daughter  of  Henry  Hide. 
Buried  Doct.  Abijah  Perkins.     A  friend  to  this 
society  &  a  good  man. 

Dec.  5th.  Buried  three  children  of  George  Langly  within  a 
short  time. 

Feb.  23d  1777.     Buried  Jeremiah  Barnheart. 
June   21st.      Married   by   Rev.    Stephen   Goetchius   Benj.    I. 
Frear  &  Anne  Parker. 

June  22d.  Baptised  l)y  Rev.  S.  Goetchius  a  son  of  Benj.  I. 
Frear  named  Benjamin.  Also  by  Rev.  S.  Goetchius  Hannah 
daughter  of  Henry  Terbush. 

June  29th.  Rev.  J.  Moffatt  preached  &  baptised  Jane  Frank- 
lin a  daughter  of  Stephen  Case.  Also  a  child  of  Absalom  Case 
named  Jane  &  a  son  of  John  Wygant  named  George.  Also  a 
son  of  Thomas  Wygant  named  Barnard  &  a  daughter  of  Joseph 
Degroot  named  Susannah.     No.  45. 

June  29th  1777.  Rev.  J.  Moffatt  married  Thos.  Quick  Jr. 
to  Peninah  Springer. 

July  28th.  Buried  Sarah  Woolsey  wife  of  Noah. 
Aug.  23d.  Buried  George  Langdon.  No.  61. 
Aug.  31st  1777.  Rev.  John.  Moffat  preached  and  baptized 
a  daughter  of  Benjamin  Carpenter  named  Jane.  Also  a 
daughter  of  Isaac  Fowler  (sister  of  Caleb  Fowler  and  sister  of 
D.  Fowler  married  Stephen  Baker,  N.  Y.)  named  Martha 
and  also  a  son  of  John  Smith  named  Thomas  and  another 
son  of  same  Michael  and  a  son  of  Francis  Gaine  named  George 
Washington. 


368  History  of  Marlborough. 

Sept.  30th.  Eev.  Mr.  Ganse  preached,  and  was  buried  a 
male  infant  of  John  Lester. 

Oct.  23d.     Buried  Tliomas  son  of  Charles  Mackey. 

Nov.   16th.     Buried  Sarah  wife  of  David  Benins. 

Xov.  16th.     Buried  John  a  son  of  Jacob  Degroot. 

Nov.   25th.     Buried  an  infant  daughter  of  John  Quick." 

Dec.   23d.     Buried  John  Taller. 

Feb.  lotli,  1778.  Buried  Miss  Nancy  Brown  daughter  of 
Jonathan. 

March  8th.     Buried  an  infant  daughter  of  Benj.  I.  Frear. 

May  2;kl.     Buried  George  Piatt.     No.  70. 

Oct.  8th.  Eev.  Mr.  Brush  baptized  a  son  of  John  Wygant 
named  Nathaniel,  also  a  son  of  Thos.  Wygant  named  Matthew 
and  a  daugliter  of  John  Mobery  named  Eebecca. 

Nov.  25th.     Buried  Mary  daughter  of  Capt.  Silas  Purdy. 

Dec.  3d.     Buried  an  infant  female  of  John  Mullender. 

Feb.  14th.  1779.     Buried  a  male  infant  of  John  Lewis.  No. 

r-  o 
i  O. 

Feb.  15th.     Buried  Isaac  son  of  Benjamin  I.  Frear. 

May  7th.  Buried  Sarah  Smith  daughter-in-law  of  Andrew 
Young.    ■ 

June  20tli.  Eev.  Jolm  Moffat  baptized  a  son  of  Stej)hen 
Case  named   Whitfield. 

June  23d.     Buried  a  male  infant  of  James  Merritt. 

July  18th.  Eev.  Mr.  Andrew  King  baptized  a  son  of  Isaac 
Fowler  Jr.   named  Charles    (Dr.   C.   Fowler  of  Montgomery.) 

Oct.  6th.     Buried  a  male  infant  of  Elijah  Ferris. 

Oct.  9th.     Buried  a  male  infant  of  Samuel  McKeys. 

Oct.  11th.     Buried  a  male  infant  of  Eeuben  Tooker. 

Oct.  27t]i.     Buried  a  male  infant  of  David  Finch. 

Nov.  loth.     Buried  a  male  infant  of  William  Scott.  No.  81. 

Jan.  6th.  1790.     Buried  Mary  wife  of  Thomas  Quick. 

April  16th.  Eev.  John  Close  baptized  Eebecca  daughter 
of  John  Wygant. 

May  31st.     Buried  Hannah  Lucas  a  very  aged  widow. 

June  21st.     Buried  a  daughter  of  Stephen  Case. 

Aug.  13th.  Eev.  Chauncey  Graham  baptized  a  son  of  Benj. 
Carpenter  named  Joseph,  also  two  daughters  of  A])raham  John- 
son, Jane  and  Mary,  also  a  daughter  of  Absalom  Case  named 
Glorianna.  No.  60. 

Oct.  15th.  Baptized  by  Eev.  C.  Graham  a  daughter  of 
John  ]\I.  Smith  named  Jane,  also  five  children  of  widow  Mary 
Gilles,  widow  of  Jacob,  oldest  Jonathan,  2d.  Sarah,  3d.  Malli- 
chia,  4th.  Elias,  5th.  Elizabeth  by  Eev.  Chauncey  Graliam. 


The  First  Baptisms,  Maeeiages,  and  Deaths.     369 

Oct.  22d.     Bnried  Phebe  Quick  daughter  of  William  Quick. 

Xov.  2d.  ]\Iarried  by  Eev.  John  Close  Daniel  Kelsy  to 
Hannah  Lyneson. 

Nov.  30th.  Married  by  Eev.  Andrew  King  Doct.  Benjamin 
Ely  to  Elizabeth  Brown. "No.  13. 

March  18th.  1781.  Buried  two  female  children  of  Peter 
Quick.  No.  86  and  87. 

March  29th.     Buried  Isaac  Cropsy.  No.  88. 

March  25th.  1T81.  Kev.  Samuel  Sackett  preached  and 
baptized  3  children  of  Wolvert  Ecker  Esqr.,  Deborah,  Su- 
sannah &  William,  also  a  son  of  Capt.  John  Quokenljoss  named 
Nicholas.  No.  69. 

April  17th.  Buried  a  nuile  infant  of  William  Pembroke. 
No.  89. 

May  2Tth.  Eev.  Mr.  Brush  baptised  a  daughter  of  Matthew 
Wygant  nauiod  Pliihi,  also  a  son  of  John  Wygant  named 
Micbael  e^'  a  son  of  Thomas  Wygant  named  Michael.  No.  72. 

June   10th.     Buried  a  male  infant  of  William  Quick. 

Oct.  26th.     Buried  Charity  wife  of  Joseph  Carpenter. 

Oct.  28th.  Eev.  Mr.  Graham  baptised  a  son  of  Lieut.  John 
Bond  named  Barnard. 

Jan.  11th  1782.  Buried  an  infant  of  Thurston  Wood.  No. 
92. 

Jan.  21st.  Eev.  J.  Moffatt  married  Wm.  McCrary  to  Sarah 
Stevinson.  No.  13. 

May  25th.     Buried  Sarah  wife  of  Nathaniel  Bake.     No.  93. 

June  23d.  Eev.  Mr.  Graham  baptised  a  son  of  Ezra  War- 
ring Jr.,  named  Ezra. 

12th.  Eev.  Mr.  Brush  baptised  a  daughter  of  J.  M.  Smith 
named  Euth. 

Sept.  16th.  Buried  a  son  of  Thos.  Wygant  named  Michael. 
No.   94. 

Dec.  31st.     Buried  Phebe  wife  of  Peter  Purdy.   No.  95. 

May    25th    1783.      Eev.    Mr.    Brush    preached    &    baptised 
William  son  of  Thos.  Wygant;  Teperance  daughter  of  John 
Wygant  &  Johannah  daughter  of  Nathaniel  Hull.  No.  90. 
.  Aug.  7.     Buried  an  infant  of  Daniel  Tooker.  Male. 

Sept.  5.  Buried  Hannah  wife  of  Charles  Tooker,  a  respect- 
able character. 

Sept.  15th.  1783.  Buried  a  daughter  of  John  Case  &  grand- 
daughter of  Ste]:)hen  Case,  Clerk  &c. 

Sept.  19th.  Buried  a  son  of  William  Pembroke  named 
Isaac. 

Sept.  22.     Buried  Mary  widow  of  Jacob  Dolson. 


370  History  of  Marlborough. 

Oct.  loth.     Buried  Mary  daughter  of  John  Fowler.  Xo.  103. 

Dec.  21st.  Eev.  John  Close  baptised  Charlotte  daughter  of 
Stephen  Case. 

Dec.  28.     Buried  a  male  infant  of  Peter  Bices.     No.  103. 

March  18th.  1784.  Buried  a  female  infant  of  Jonathan 
Woolsey. 

Aug.  19th.  Buried  Jane  Fell  (alias)  Pell  aged  near  100 
years. 

Nov.  9th.  Eev.  Mr.  Brush  baptised  a  daughter  of  Matthew 
Wygant  named  Eebecca. 

Nov.  22d.  Buried  Sarah  wife  of  Thomas  Silkworth,  No. 
107. 

Oct.  1st.  1785.  Married  by  Wolvert  Eckert  Esqr.  Joseph 
Mory  to  Glorianna  Merritt. 

Jan.   178G.     Buried   Sarah  wife  of   Alexander  Mackey. 

Jan.  12th.  Eev.  Stephen  Goetchius  baptised  twin  daughters 
of   Benj.    Frear  named   Wyntye   &   Unice  Wygant. 

Also  Stephen  son  of  Solomon  Waring.  x\lso  James  son  of 
Thos.  Wygant. 

April  27th.     Buried  John  Lyon. 

May  31st.  Married  Gilbert  Barker  to  Phebe  Brown  a 
•daughter  of  Jonathan. 

July  8th.  Eev.  Stephen  Goetchius  baptised  twin  children 
of  Hugh  Deyo  named  Henry  Bush  &  Susannah. 

Aug.  16th.  Married  by  Atherton  Peter  Thorp  &  Jemima 
Turner. 

Nov.  22d.  1786.  Eev.  Andrew  King  baptised  Edmund 
Hurin  son  of  Peter  Thorp. 

Aug.  17th.  1788.  Eev.  John  Close  baptised  Hannah  only 
■child  of  Nathaniel  DuBois,  deceased. 

July  21st.  1793.     Baptised  Isaac  son  of  John,  Polhemus. 

Oct.  13th.     Baptised  Mary  Olford  daughter  of  Darcas. 

Feb.  16th.  1794.     Daniel  'son  of  Allen  Lester. 

Feb.  16th.  Mary,  Jesse,  Jacob  &  John  children  of  Timothy 
Wood. 

April.     Phe1)e  daughter  of  Jacob  Polhemus. 

June  22d.     Betsy  Ely  daughter  of  Matthew  Wygant. 

Oct.  26th.     Elizabeth  daughter  of  Timothy  Wood. 

May  10th.  1795.  Elizabeth  Duflfield  daughter  of  Andrew 
CJropsy. 

June  Stli.     Jotham  son  of  Mary  Sherwood. 

Oct.  25th.     Child  of  John  Polhemus. 

April  lOtb.  1796.     Elizabeth  daughter  of  Jacob  Polhemus. 

Mav  22d.     !Mieliael  son  of  Matthew  Wygant.. 


Za:-^' 


:Mauldo.rough  Pbesbyterian  Chuech. 


Jan.  39th.  1797.     Abijali  Perkins  son  of  Andrew  Ely. 

May  7th.     William  son  of  Timothy  Wood. 

Dee.  17  th.     Cornelia  daughter  of  John  Polhemus. 

June  16th.  1798.     Cornelius  son  of  Jacob  Polhemus. 

Nov.  16th.  1800.     Daniel  Thurston  son  of  Timothy  Wood. 

Sept  12th.  1803.     John  son  of  Betsy  Clark. 

Sept.  12th.  1803.  Eluiira  cV  ]\I'ifiah  children  of  Timothy 
J^Jarvin. 

Sept.  12th.     Josiah  Web  son  of  Cornelius  Polhemus. 

March   13.   1804.     Catharine  daughter  of  Charles  Millard. 

July  15th.     Charles  Lester  son  of  Timothy  Wood. 

Nov.   2oth.     Lydia   daughter  of  Cornelius   Polhemus. 

Nov.  25th.     Eliza  daughter  of  John  Polhemus. 

May  12th.  1805.     Polly  Eliza  daughter  of  Michael  Wygant. 

July  21st.  Miram,  Letty,  Cornelius,  Wiliam  &  Oxford  chil- 
dren of  Valentine  Lewis. 

Aug.   18th.     Franklin  son  of  Charles  Millard. 

March  2d.  1806.     James  son  of  Elam  Clark. 

May  25th.     Eliza  Jane  daughter  of  Mr,   Freeland. 

Mav  25th.  Also  Gill)ert  &  Charlotte  children  of  Timothv 
Wood^ 

June  8th.  Eaehel,  Jonithan,  Sally  Ann,  &  Samuel  Watts, 
<;*hildren  of  Jonathan  Cosman. 

April  19th.  1807.     Edward  son  of  Michael  Wygant. 

Apr.   21st.     Timothy   Crosby  son  of  Timothy  ]\Iarvin. 


The  Presbyterian  Church  at  Milton. 

A  portion  of  the  congregation  of  the  Marlborough 
■chureli  who  sympathized  more  strongly  with  the  New 
School  body  than  others,  erected  a  house  of  worship 
at  Milton.  The  society  was  incorporated  AugTist  23, 
1841.  Lutlier  Pratt  and  Sumner  Coleman  presided  at 
the  meeting  for  organization.  The  trustees  chosen 
were  Luther  Pratt,  Nathaniel  Clark,  Sumner  Cole- 
man, Clark  Smith,  Daniel  Lewis  and  William  Soper. 
The  meeting  was  held  at  the  district  school  house. 
Kev.  James  Gr.  Ostrom  was  present  and  assisted.  The 
congregation  resolved  that  they  s}^npathize  with  that 
iDranch  of  the  Presbyterian  church  known  as  Consti- 


372  History  of  Marlborough. 

tiitional.    In  May,  1843,  during  a  fire,  the  earlier  rec- 
ords of  the  church  were  burned. 

Eev.  M.  F.  Liebenau  was   tlie  first  pastor  of  the 
church.     He  was  installed  in  October,  1841,  and  re- 
mained for  two  years.    He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  W. 
K.  Piatt.     The  puli)it  was  supplied  by  others  after 
R-ev.  Mr.  Piatt  left  until  the  first  Sabljath  in  March 
1849,    when   Rev.    M.    F.    Liebenau    returned    to    the 
church ;  he  remained  until  about  1861,  when  Rev.  Sum- 
ner Mandeville  came  as  a  stated  supply.    Rev.  Edgar 
W.  Clarke  took  charge  of  the  church  in  1862  and  re- 
mained until  the  summer  of  1866.     He  was  carrying 
on  a  large  seminary  at  Milton  at  the  time.    Rev.  Mr. 
Liebenau  returned  again  in  1865  and  remained  until 
the  spring  of  1867.     Mr.  Liebenau  had  preached  here 
at  three  different  periods,  and  occupied  the  pulpit  for 
many  years.    He  also  preached  a  part  of,  if  not  all  of 
this  time  at  the  Lloyd,  now  tlighland,  Presbyterian 
church.     He  was  a  minister  of  great  power  and  elo- 
quence.    People  came  long  distances  to  hear  him.    A 
man  of  no  more  alnlity  has  ever  preached  in  the  town. 
He  delivered  many  lectures  throughout  the  country 
at   lyceums,   and   on  lecture   courses.     He  was  very 
zealous  and  patriotic  during  the  War  of  the  Rebellion, 
and  made  many  patriotic  addresses,  spoke  to  large 
assemblies,  and  by  voice  and  act  encouraged  enlist- 
ments in  the  army  and  was  zealous  in  all  patriotic 
work.     He  lost  one  son  in  the  army  wliich,  I  believe, 
was  his  only  son.     He  died  several  years  since  at  an 
advanced  age, —  loved,  honored  and  respected  every- 
where he  was  known.     After  Rev.   M.   F.  Liebenau 
left.  Rev.  Edgar  "W.  Clarke  again  took  charge  of  the 
church  and  preached  for  about  a  3^ear  when  his  health 
failed.    Mr.  Clarke,  however,  continued  his  school  until 
1872.     He  was   also   justice  of  the  peace   for  many 
years;  he  was  a  graduate  of  Williamstown  college, 
an  eminent  scholar,  and  a  man  of  pleasing  manners 


The  Peesbyteeian  Church  at  Milton.        373 


and  address.  He  made  friends  readily  and  had  no 
enemies,  and,  to  the  regret  of  the  entire  coimnunity 
in  1872  moved  to  Illinois,  where  he  is  now  living  at 
Paina  at  an  advanced  age. 

He  was  succeeded  by  llev.  J.  H.  Myers,  who  came 
in  April,  1868,  and  remained  until  1872.  Eev.  B.  F. 
Wile  commenced  preaching  in  1872,  and  after  his 
pastorate  was  ended,  in  1876,  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
Duncan  C.  Niven  who  remained  until  the  spring  of 
1884.  He  was  a  preacher  of  much  force  and  character, 
perfectly  fearless  and  independent,  entire  master  of 
his  own  conduct,  decided  in  his  views,  in  religion  and 
politics.  In  debate  he  asked  no  quarter  and  gave  none. 
He  had  the  courage  of  his  own  convictions  and  ex- 
pressed his  own  opinions  fearlessly.  He  was  loved 
by  some  and  feared  by  others,  but  thought  to  be 
honest  in  his  convictions,  in  general.  He  is  now  blind, 
and  living  at  Monticello,  N.  Y.,  at  an  advanced  age. 
His  wife  is  said  to  be  a  lineal  descendant  of  Wolvert 
Ecker,  the  old  patriot.  From  1884  until  1892  the  pul- 
pit was  supplied  by  Rev.  Wm.  G.  Westervelt.  He  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  Xapier  Husted,  who  remained 
two  years.  The  Rev.  George  Allan  was  installed  De- 
cember 18,  1895,  and  remained  until  April  28,  1901. 
He  is  now  pastor  of  the  Highland  Presbyterian 
ohurch.  Everyone  liked  Mr.  Allan,  and  nothing  but 
good  can  be  said  of  him.  Rev.  Ra^inond  Hubbard 
and  William  H.  Tower  have  preached  since  that  time. 
In  1907  the  Rev.  Ivan  G.  Martin  took  charge  of  the 
church.  He  is  an  eloquent  preacher  and  destined  to 
do  much  good  for  the  church. 

The  Elders  of  the  church  since  its  organization  have 
been  as  follows :  Summner  Coleman,  Enos  Van  Sick- 
lem,  Luther  Pratt,  Nathaniel  Clark,  James  Ransley, 
Robert  Herdman,  Abram  Miller,  Jacob  P.  Townsend, 
E.  W.  Watson,  R.  S.  Armstrong,  Charles  F.  Ordway, 
Albert  Pattison,  J.  Oscar  Clarke,  A.  B.  Clarke,  W.  11. 


374  History  of  Marlborough. 

Townsend,  William  A.  Goehringer,  George  P.  DuBois^ 
C.  S.  Brown,  E.  Y.  Jenkins,  Wm.  H.  Townsend,  Jr. 
The  present  trustees  are:  Geo.  P.  DiiBois,  chairman, 
A.  B.  Clarke,  E.  Y.  Jenkins,  A.  C.  Jenkins,  Edward 
Young,  and  AV.  A.  Goehringer.  The  former  house  of 
worship  cost  about  $3,000.  The  present  edifice  was 
built  near  the  old  site  in  1900  at  an  expense  of  about 
$7,000.  The  church,  though  small,  is  in  a  prosperous 
condition  and  free  from  debt. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Methodism   in   the  Town   of  Marlborough. 

The  first  Methodist  meeting  held  in  the  county  and 
the  first  class  meeting  was  held  in  the  town  of  Marl- 
borough; and  tha  Milton  M.  E.  chnrch  was  the  first 
Methodist  church  of  the  county. 

The  Methodists  organized  in  England  in  1729.  The 
founders  were  John  Wesley,  Charles  Wesley,  Morgan 
and  Kirkman;  they  formed  what  they  called  a  "  Holy 
Club."  In  173(3  the  AV-esleys  visited  America  upon 
the  invitation  of  the  Governor  of  Greorgia,  with  a  view 
to  the  conversion  of  the  Indians  and  others,  but  little 
progress  was  made  and  they  afterward  returned  to 
England.  In  1766  a  company  of  Irish  emigrants,  of 
which  Philip  Embury  was  one,  organized  the  society 
in  New  York ;  and  in  1768  they  erected  in  that  city  the 
first  Methodist  church  in  America.  About  that  time 
an  Irishman,  Robert  Strowbridge,  organized  a  society 
and  built  a  log  meeting  house  at  Pipe  Cre-ek,  Mary- 
land ;  other  emigrants  founded  a  society  and  church 
in  Philadelphia. 

Encouraged  by  the  progress  of  the  sect  in  America, 
Mr.  Wesley  sent  over  two  additional  laborers  in  1769, 
viz. :  Richard  Boardman  and  Joseph  Pilmore,  the 
former  being  stationed  at  New  York,  In  1771  Francis 
Asbury  and  Richard  Wright  were  added  to  the  work. 
The  first  conference  ever  held  in  this  country  was 
held  at  Philadelphia,  July  4,  1773.  The  society  spread 
rapidly  in  the  Southern  States.  After  the  War  of  the 
Revolution  Wesley  issued  instructions  to  his  followers 
in  the  United  States  that  they  should  make  an  organi- 
zation independent  of  the  society  in  England.  This 
was  done  in  1785,  and  the  title  of  the  ''  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  "  was  adopted  to  designate  the  new 

[375] 


376  History  of  Marlborough. 

society.  Philip  Asbiiry  and  Thomas  Coke  were  ap- 
pointed bishops,  and  the  society  was  divided  into  dis- 
tricts over  which  '*  elders  "  were  stationed,  under 
whose  charge  two  or  more  preachers  were  placed. 
The  preachers  were  styled  "assistants,"  and  the 
fields  in  which  they  labored  were  called  "  circuits." 
The  itinerant  principle  was  then  adopted ;  in  this  way 
the  work  Avas  zealously  carried  on,  amid  extreme  pri- 
vations, hardships  and  dangers. 

In  1786,  New  York  and  New  Jersey  were  divided 
into  two  "-elder  districts,"  one  of  which  embraced 
the  East  Jersey,  Newark,  New  York  city,  and  Long 
Island,  "  circuits,"  and  formed  the  extreme  northern 
limit  of  the  society  in  the  United  States  at  that  time. 
The  East  Jersey  "circuit"  bordered  on  Orange 
county,  and  had  stationed  on  it  as  "  assistants,"  John 
McClaskey  and  Ezekiel  Cooper.  While  Mr.  Cooper 
was  on  this  circuit  (1786)  one  of  his  public  services 
was  attended  l^y  Col.  David  McCamley,  who  invited 
him  to  preach  at  his  residence  in  the  town  of  War- 
wick. Mrs.  Arthur  Smith,  a  sister  of  Col.  McCamley, 
was  visiting  her  l)rother  at  the  time  of  the  service 
there,  and  at  her  solicitation  Mr.  Cooper  accompanied 
her  to  her  residence  in  Middlehope,  where  he  held 
the  first  Methodist  service  in  the  town  of  Newburgh. 
The  date  at  which  it  was  held  cannot  now  be  ascer- 
tained, but  it  was  probably  in  October,  1786.  Mr. 
Coo]>er,  accompanied  ])y  Samuel  Purdy,  also  visited 
at  this  time  John  Woolsey,  near  Milton,  and  having 
established  here  an  outpost  for  missionary  labor  far 
beyond  the  bounds  of  his  circuit,  he  returned  to  New 
Jersey.  This  was  the  first  Methodist  meeting  held 
in  Ulster  county.  Six  weeks  later  John  McClaskey 
and  John  Cooper  passed  over  the  same  route,  and 
extended  the  new  circuit  to  the  Paltz,  where  they  held 
services  at  the  residencs  of  Hendrick  Deyo  and  An- 
dries  DuBois.     They  also  stopped  in  the  village  of 


Methodism  in  the  Town  of  Marlborough.     377 


Newbiirgli  and  preached  at  the  house  of  Eliiathau 
Foster,  where  a  "  chiss  "  was  soon  after  fonned.  In 
January  Ezekiel  Cooper  again  visited  the  district 
and  held  ser\dces  at  the  house  of  Samuel  Fowler  in 
Middlehope,  which  was  henceforth  a  regular  preach- 
ing station  until  1813.  From  1813  to  1822  the  meet- 
ings were  held  in  a  barn  owned  by  Daniel  Holmes  in 
the  sunnner  and  in  Mr.  Fowler's  house  in  the  winter. 
Ezekiel  Cooper  was  born  February  22,  1763,  in 
Caroline  county,  Maryland.  His  name  first  appears 
in  the  conference  minutes  in  1785,  though  he  was  pre- 
viously employed  by  Bishop  Asbury.  He  was  the  first 
''editor  and  geiieralbook  steward"  of  the  society, 
having  received  that  appointment  in  1800.  Sixty-four 
years  of  his  life  was  spent  in  the  ministry,  and  he  was 
long  regarded  as  one  of  the  brightest  lights  of  the 
American  pulpit.  He  died  on  the  21st  of  February, 
1847,  at  the  age  of  84  years. 

The  success  which  attended  the  efforts  of  Mr. 
Cooper  and  his  associates  led  to  the  organization  in 
1788  of  the  Flanders  (N.  J.)  circuit,  which  embraced 
this  section  of  country.  The  preachers  on  this  cir- 
cuit were  Jesse  Lee,  Aaron  Hutchinson  and  John  Lee, 
and  it  had  543  members.  In  1789  it  was  again  divided 
and  the  Xewburgh  circuit  established,  its  preachers 
being  Nathaniel  B.  Mills  and  Andrew  Harpending.  It 
embraced  261  of  the  membership  of  the  Flanders  cir- 
cuit and  was  divided  into  the  following  "  classes  "  or 
infoiinal  societies,  viz. : 

Sainl.    Fowler's   Class,  at   Middlehope. 
Elnathan  Foster's  class,  at  Newbiirgh. 
Mimson  Ward's  Class,  at  Fostertown. 
Geo.    Stanton's   Class,   at   Gardnertown. 
Daniel  Holmes'  Class,  at  Middlehope. 
Jacob  Dayton's   Class,   near  Lattintown. 
Lattintown  Class,  at  Lattintown. 
Samuel  Wyatt's  Class,  at  Keytown. 
Schultz's  Class,  at  Dolsentown. 


378  History  of  Marlborough. 


Widow  Ellison's  Class,  at  Pocknck. 

Warwick  Class,  at  Warwick. 

John  Ellison's  Class,  at  Xew  Windsor. 

Luff  Smith's  Class,  near  Marlborough. 

David  Ostrander's  Class,  at  Plattekill. 

David  Stephens'  Class,  in  the  Clove. 

IJichard   Garrison's   Class,   in  the   Clove. 

Saml.   Ketcham's   Class,  near   Sugar   Loaf. 

Arter's  Class,  Barton's  Class. 

John   McWhorter's   Class,  Long   Pond   Class. 

These  classes  continued  to  be  visited  by  the  cir- 
cnit  preachers  until  they  ripened  into  societies  of  suf- 
ficient strength  to  support  located  ministers,  or  until 
that  end  was  attained  by  the  union  of  two  or  more 
classes  in  a  short  circuit. 

At  this  time  the  Presbyterians,  Baptists,  and 
Quakers  were  holding  public  worship  m  the  town; 
but  many  joined  with  the  Methodists  and  became  zeal- 
ous in  the  faith.  They  held  frequent  services  at  the 
houses  of  the  members  and  their  interest  became  so 
great  that  these  meetings  were  often  kept  up  all 
night.  One  of  those  who  attended  those  meetings  has 
transmitted  the  following  circumstance: 

I  will  now  relate  a  circumstance  which  shows  the  peculiar 
care  of  God  over  an  infant  child.  My  cousin  had  but  one 
child,  an  infant  of  six  or  seven  months  old.  The  mother, 
wishing  to  go  to  meeting  the  night  above  mentioned,  said 
"  I  will  give  this  child  to  God  until  I  return  from  meeting." 
Accordingly,  she  put  the  child  to  bed,  and  locked  up  the 
house,  leaving  no  person  whatever  in  the  house  with  the  child. 
We  did  not  return  from  meeting  that  night  until  the  rising 
of  the  sun.  I  went  in  with  the  parents  to  see  how  it  was 
with  the  child,  and  it  appeared  to  lie  Just  as  it  did  when  the 
mother  left  it  the  preceding  night.  The  mother  said  at  the 
meeting  that  she  had  given  the  child  into  the  care  of  the  Lord 
until  she  returned,  for  it  seemed  to  her  that  it  was  the  will 
of  God  that  she  should  be  at  the  meeting  that  night.  She 
has  since  said  that  she  could  not  leave  a  child  so  again,  unless 
under  similar  or  some  very  peculiar  circumstances. 

Two    of    the    sons    of   John   Woolsey,    Elijah   and 


Methodism  in  the  Town  of  Marlborough.     379 

Thomas  became  circuit  preachers,  Elijah,  who  was 
a  native  of  this  town  and  resided  liere  a  greater  part 
of  his  life,  has  left  the  following  narrative  of  some  of 
his  experiences,  which  will  show  some  of  the  hard- 
ships that  the  early  preachers  had  to  encounter: 

I  now  began  to  exhort  sinners  to  turn  to  God;  and  it  was 
not  long  before  I  felt  an  impression  on  my  mind  that  it  was 
my  duty  to  preach.  I  was  much  troubled  on  that  account ; 
and  my  trouble  increased  until  I  ventured  to  make  a  cove- 
nant with  tlie  Lord  that  I  would  preach  if  I  might  tarry  at 
home.  This  eased  my  mind  a  little,  and  I  began  with  great 
weekness  and  fear.  And  I  have  often  been  astonished  to 
think  how  the  people  could  be  content  to  sit  and  hear  me. 
The  way  I  first  came  to  take  a  text  was  this :  I  sent  an  appoint- 
ment for  meeting  to  a  place  al)out  ten  miles  off,  and  when  I 
came  there,  the  man  of  the  house  said  that  I  must  preach,  for 
it  had  been  given  out  that  there  would  be  preaching,  and  that 
the  people  expected  it.  I  said  to  myself,  "  By  the  grace  of  God 
I'll  try,  and  if  He  has  not  called  me  to  the  work,  I  hope  He 
will  shut  my  mouth.'"  So  I  opened  my  Testament  on  these 
words,  "  Come,  for  all  things  are  ready,"  and  had  consider- 
able liberty  in  my  own  mind  while  discoursing  thereon.  My 
next  text  was,  "  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock,"  and 
the  liberty  with  which  I  was  favored  greatly  exceeded  the 
fonner  time.  This  encouraged  me  much,  and  I  began  to 
arrange  my  appointments  from  this  time  somewhat  in  the  form 
of  a  circuit.  My  next  appointment  was  at  the  house  of  a 
Baptist,  and  my  text  was,  "Behold,  these  three  years  I  come 
seeking  fruit  on  this  fig-tree,  and  find  none."  I  had  a  good 
time  in  declaring  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  when  I  had  done 
a  Baptist  woman  came  to  ine  and  said,  "  You  have  preached 
the  greatest  Methodist  sermon  I  ever  heard  in  my  life."  *  *  * 

My  brother  Thomas  received  license  to  preach  a  little  be- 
fore I  did;  mine  was  sent  to  me  from  the  quarterly  confer- 
ence. At  this  time  my  iather  had  a  large  farm,  and  I  and 
my  brother  used  to  assist  him  in  the  cultivation  of  it.  But 
there  seemed  to  be  a  call  for  one  of  us  at  least  to  take  circuit. 
So  my  brother  joined  the  conference,  and  was  appointed  to  a 
•circuit  in  the  north  part  of  the  state  of  Xew  York.  This 
was  in  the  year  1792.  When  my  brother  returned  from  the 
conference,  father  was  not  willing  he  should  go  to  the  circuit, 
he  being  under  age,  and  I  l)eing  okler  than  he,  took  his  place, 
and  the  next  day  started  for  my  appointment.     Father  G.  was 


380  History  of  Marlborough, 

presiding  elder,  and  brother  K.  was  ray  colleague.  I  had  not 
traveled  six  mouths  before  the  charms  of  "  sweet  home "  al- 
most overcame  me;  for  our  family  was  a  very  happy  one.  We 
were  very  happy  in  each  other's  company  then  together,  and 
though  I  had  cheerfully  left  them,  I  cast  "many  a  longing, 
look  behind."  One  day  I  had  three  appointments,  and  nearly 
forty  miles  to  ride.  When  I  came  to  my  evening's  appointment, 
the  man  of  the  house  met  me  at  the  gate,  and  informed  mfr 
that  my  brother  Thomas  was  in  the  house.  I  was  so  ever- 
come  with  joy  that  I  did  not  attempt  to  preach  that  night,, 
neither  could  I  sleep  after  I  had  gone  to  bed.  My  brother, 
however,  supplied  my  ])lace  in  preaching;  so  there  was  no  loss- 
to  the  people.  The  next  morning  my  brother  agreed  to  supply 
my  place  on  the  circuit  for  six  weeks,  and  let  me  go  home^ 
I  accepted  of  his  kindness,  and  visited  my  relations,  who  greatly 
rejoiced  at  my  return.  But  strange  to  tell,  I  had  not  been 
long  at  home  before  1  felt  as  great  an  anxiety  to  return  to- 
my  circuit  as  I  did  to  leave  it,  in  order  to  visit  my  friends. 
So  before  six  weeks  had  elapsed  I  went  to  my  work  again,  and 
in  a  short  time  was  appointed  to  another  circuit,  leaving  my 
brother  in  the  first  appointment. 

In  my  new  circuit  I  met  with  hard  fare,  and  many  trials. 
The  country  was  tliinly  inhabited.  Iji  some  places  there  were 
no  regular  roads.  We  followed  marked  trees  for  eight  or 
nine  miles  together.  Provisions  were'  scarce,  and  of  the  home- 
liest kind.  In  some  instances  our  greatest  luxuries  were 
roasted  potatoes.  But  thank  God,  we  did  not  stay  long  at 
each  place.  Our  appointments  for  preaching  were  numerous^ 
and  the  distance  between  them  very  considerable.  "  Sponging  " 
was  not  the  "  besetting  sin "  of  those  days,  nor  "large  sala- 
ries"  our  greatest  snare.  Sometimes  I  had  no  bed  to  lie  on, 
nor  blanket  to  cover  me  in  the  coldest  weather.  My  saddle- 
bags were  my  pillow,  and  my  great  coat  my  "comfortable.'* 
The  consequence  was,  repeated  and  violent  colds,  which  laid 
the  foundation  for  those  infirmities  which  have  for  the  last 
two  years  made  me  "  a  supernumerary."  Could  we  have  had 
wherewith  to  purchase  a  buffalo  rol^e,  and  convenience  for 
carrying  it,  we  might  have  escaped  some  of  the  "  shadows  of 
itinerancy."  Nothwithstanding,  however,  the  hard  toils  and 
the  hard  fare  of  my  first  winter's  appointment,  I  saw  good  times 
in  another  respect,  and  formed  some  new  classes  within  the 
bounds  of  the  circuit,  and  added  to  the  church  eighty-eight 
hopeful  members. 

I  attended  the  conference  in  1T93,  and  arrived  at  the  place 


Methodism  in  the  Town  of  Marlborough.     381 

in  the  evening,  and  was  appointed  to  preach  the  next  day; 
but  the  cross  of  having  to  preach  before  the  preachers  was  so 
great,  that  I  slept  none  that  night,  but  prayed  and  wept  con- 
tinually. As  I  went  to  the  meeting-house  my  knees  smote  one 
against  the  other,  and  when  I  was  in  the  pulpit,  I  treml)led  so 
much  that  I  could  not  hold  the  hymn-book  steady  enough  to  see 
to  read  the  hymn,  without  laying  it  on  the  pulpit  and  placing 
jny  hand  on  it.  I  then  thought  I  should  not  live  long,  if  such 
were  to  be  my  trials.  After  prayer,  however,  I  gave  out  my 
text,  and  my  fears  were  soon  gone,  and  by  help  of  the  Lord  I 
preached  for  once,  if  I  ever  lireached  in  my  life.  I  had  brought 
no  written  recommendation  with  me  to  the  conference,  but  my 
presiding  elder  spoke  to  Bishop  Asbury,  who  wished  me  to 
relate  my  experience  and  call  to  the  work  of  the  ministry, 
the  bishop  and  conference  seemed  satisfied.  I  was  received 
on  trial  into  the  travelling  connection,  and  was  appointed  six 
months  to  one  circuit,  and  six  months  to  another,  for  the 
succeeding  year.  During  the  latter  part  of  the  year  I  had 
some  exercises  of  mind  respecting  offering  myself  as  a  mis- 
sionary for  Canada,  for  at  that  time  it  was  customary  to  send 
to    Canada  only   such   as  volunteered   to   go. 

At  the  conference  in  1T91,  D.  Dunham  came  from  Canada, 
and  asked  me  if  I  would  go  with  him  to  the  province.  I 
consented;  and  though  I  had  not  had  a  regular  appointment 
more  than  one  year,  the  conference  accepted  of  my  two  years' 
service,  such  as  it  was,  and  I  was  ordained  a  deacon  in  the 
church  of  God,  and  I  was  now  going  out  of  the  states,  I  was 
ordained  elder  the  next  day.  J.  Coleman  was  appointed  to  go 
with  us.  So  after  conference  we  set  out  for  Canada.  But 
the  parting  with  my  relatives  and  near  friends  was  a  great 
trial  to  me,  and  I  was  glad  when  I  was  out  of  sight  of  the 
house.  We  went  by  the  way  of  Albany  and  Schenectady.  At 
Albany  we  laid  in  our  provisions  for  the  journey.  When  we 
came  to  Schenectady  we  found  that  the  company  with  whom 
we  had  intended  to  go  had  taken  their  departure.  So  we 
tarried  a  week,  and  provided  ourselves  with  a  boat.  Two  men 
had  engaged  to  go  with  us,  and  to  work  their  passage  up  the 
Mohawk,  but  an  enemy  to  the  Methodist  persuaded  them  to 
relinquish  their  engagement  with  lis,  which  they  did,  and 
went  with  him.  We  were  then  left  alone,  and  had  to  work  our 
own  passage.  When  we  came  to  the  fifst  rapids,  which  by  the 
Dutch  people  are  called  ''  knock  'em  stiff,"  we  had  our  difficul- 
ties. I  had  never  used  the  setting  pole  in  my  life,  and  my 
colleague,   J.   C,   was  not   a   verv   good   waterman.     When  we 


382  History  of  Marlborough, 

had  almost  ascended  the  rapids,  the  boat  turned  round,  and 
down  the  stream  she  went,  much  more  rapidly  then  she  went 
up.  We  tried  again,  and  when  we  had  almost  conquered  the 
ditticulty,  tlie  boat  turned  again.  1  then  jumped  overboard, 
thinking  to  save  the  boat  from  going  down  stream;  l)ut  the 
water  was  over  my  head.  So  away  went  the  boat,  with  my 
com|)anions  in  it,  and  I  swam  to  shore.  The  next  time  we 
"  doubled  the  cape,''  and  that  day  made  a  voyage  of  ten  miles. 
At  night  Ave  brought  u])  the  l)oat,  and  made  her  fast  to  a  tree. 
We  then  kindled  a  ilre.  put  on  the  tea-kettle  and  the  cooking- 
pot,  boiled  our  potatoes,  made  our  tea,  and  ate  our  supper 
Avith  a  good  ap])etite  and  a  clear  conscience,  and  after  smoking 
our  pipes  and  chatting  a  while,  we  sung  and  prayed,  and  then 
laid  ourselves  down  among  the  sand  and  pebbles  on  the  bank 
of  the  river  to  rest;  but  I  was  so  wearied  Avith  the  toils  of 
the  day  that  I  could  not  sleep  much  that  night. 

Xext  morning,  about  daybreak,  a  man  and  his  son  hailed  us 
from  the  other  side  of  the  river,  and  Avished  to  know,  if  they 
might  AA'ork  their  passage  to  Eome,  a  distance  of  about  eighty 
miles  from  the  spot  Avhere  Ave  Avere.  Brother  Dunham  told 
them  if  they  Avere  civil  men,  and  behave  accordingly,  they 
might,  and  Ave  Avould  find  them  provisions.  So  Ave  soon  started, 
but  had  not  gone  far  before  one  of  them  began  to  SAvear  pro- 
fanely. We  told  him  if  he  did  not  cease  SAvearing  A^^e  would 
set  them  ashore.  Xot  long  after  this,  some  things  did  not 
please  him,  and  he  began  swearing  again  as  before.  Brother 
D.,  being  at  the  helm,  steered  the  boat  toward  the  shore,  and 
gave  him  his  bundle,  and  told  him  to  go,  saying  that  he  Avould 
not  have  a  swearer  on  board.  So  Ave  parted,  and  found  that 
Ave\  got  along  better  without  them ;  and  that  day,  by  the  set- 
ting of  the  sun,  we  roAved  up  stream  about  forty  miles.  We 
put  ashore,  as  on  the  preceding  night,  collected  the  leaves 
together,  and  made  our  couch  as  comfortable  as  Ave  could,  for 
Ave  had  no  other  place  for  that  time  Avhereon  to  lay  our  heads, 
being  in  some  sense  like  the  patriarch  of  old,  Avhen  he  was  on 
his  Avay  to  Padan-aram.  Our  toil  by  day  made  repose  Avelcome 
at  night,  so  that  Avhen  the  morning  light  appeared  Ave  Avere 
rather  loath  to  leave  our  humble  beds.  The  Aveather,  hoAvever, 
warned  us  to  depart.  It  became  stormy  by  day,  and  much 
more  so  by  night.  We  had  rain  and  snow  fifteen  days  out  of 
nineteen  during  that  journey.  When  Ave  Avere  going  doAvn  the 
Oswego  river,  tAvo  men  hailed  us  from  the  shore,  and  desired 
to  work  their  passage  about  twenty  miles.  It  Avas  very  stormy. 
I  AA'as  very  Avcary,  and  glad  to  rest  a  little ;     so  Ave  took  them 


Methodism  in  the  Town  of  Marlboeough.     383 

in,  and  I  took  the  helm  ;  hut  heing  warm  with  worlv,  and  tlien 
sitting  still  in  the  boat,  I  took  a  violent  cold.  Toward  even- 
ing we  saw  a  small  log  house,  and  went  to  it.  We  found  the 
woman  sick  in  bed,  and  the  man  in  poor  health.  They  had 
three  children,  and  but  very  little  to  eat.  Here  we  lodged  all 
night.  I  laid  me  down  on  the  stones  of  the  floor,  which  were 
very  hard  and  imeven,  but  we  kept  a  good  fire  all  night,  and 
I  got  into  a  perspiration,  which  relieved  me  of  my  cold  a 
little,  so  that  in  the  morning  I  felt  much  better  than  on  the 
preceding  night.  Brother  1).,  being  a  physician,  administered 
some  medicine  to  the  woman,  which  greatly  relieved  her.  She 
appeared  to  be  a  pious  woman,  and  had  been  a  member  of  the 
Baptist  church  at  Eidgefield,  in  Connecticut,  but  said  she  had 
never  seen  a  Methodist  before.  "We  had  a  very  pleasant  and 
edifying  interview  with  the  family,  that  evening,  in  religious 
conversation,  singing,  and  prayer.  When  we  discovered  that 
they  were  so  destitute  of  provisions,  we  divided  our  little  stock, 
and  shared  with  them  of  all  that  we  had.  They  appeared 
equally  surprised  and  thankful ; — surprised  that  Methodists 
(of  whom  they  had  heard  strange  things  in  their  own  country) 
could  be  both  religious  and  kind,  and  thankful  for  the  timely 
relief.  They  wished  that  we  would  tell  any  of  our  ]\Iethodist 
friends,  who  might  have  to  travd  that  way,  to  be  sure  and 
call  on  them.  They  desired  us  also,  if  ever  we  came  within 
forty  miles  of  them,  to  l^e  sure  and  go  that  distance  at  least 
out  of  our  way  to  see  them  —  telling  us  that  we  should  be  w-el- 
come  to  any  thing  that  the  house  or  farm  afforded.  The 
house,  however,  was" not  likely  to  afford  much,  and  there  w-as 
scarcely  anything  on  the  farm  but  forest  trees.  This  was  the 
only  time,  during  our  Journey  of  nineteen  days,  that  we  found 
a  house  to  shelter  us ;  and  it  was  good  for  that  family  that  they 
entertained  the  strangers,  for  we  were  in  truth  as  angels  of 
mercy  to  them.  They  must  have  suffered  greatly  had  we  not 
called  on  them. 

At  night  I  have  often  hunted  for  a  stone  or  a  stick  for  a 
pillow,  and  in  the  morning  when  I  took  hold  of  the  oar  or  set- 
ting pole  T  had  to  do  it  as  gently  as  I  could,  by  reason  of  the 
soreness  of  my  hands,  which  were  much  blistered  and  bruised 
in  rowing  the  boat.  We  attended  to  family  worship  both  uiglit 
and  morning,  although  we  slept  in  the  woods,  and  the  pn-sence 
of  the  Lord  was  with  us  of  a  truth.  A\Tien  we  arrived  at  tlie 
fort  of  Oswego,  on  lake  Ontario,  we  were  searched  to  see  if  wo 
were  not,  "  running  goods,"  as  they  called  it.  This  affair  Ixnng 
adjusted  without  any  difficulty  —  for  we  were  neither  spies  nor 


384  History  of  Marlborough. 

smugglers  —  we  were  now  ready  to  emliark  on  the  lake,  l)ut  the 
wind  blowing  high,  we  were  detained  two  days  longer.  At 
length  there  was  a  calm,  and  we  ventured  out  on  the  broad  lake ; 
and  when  we  had  gone  about  twenty  miles,  the  wind  rose  again, 
and  blew  right  ahead,  so  that  we  had  to  change  our  course,  and 
steer- for  the  Black  river  country.  The  wind  was  boisterous, 
and  the  waves  dashed  terrible  against  our  little  bark,  and  before 
we  reached  the  shore  we  struck  a  rock,  and  split  our  boat  —  a 
circumstance  which  made  sailing  still  more  dangerous  and  un- 
pleasant. We  had  a  quantity  of  l)Ooks  on  board,  which  were  con- 
siderably injured  l)y  l)eing  wet.  When  we  came  ashore  we  made 
a  fire,  and  dried  our  clothes  and  the  books,  and  mended  our 
l)oat  as  well  as  we  could.  The  next  day  we  embarked  again 
on  the  lake,  Init  the  wind  was  right  ahead,  which  caused  us 
to  turn  our  course.  We  made  for  Salmon  river,  where  we  put 
in  for  that  day;  and  early  in  the  morning  of  the  next  day  we 
started  again,  and  pulled  at  the  oars  till  daylight  disappeared 
in  the  west.  We  went  round  Stony  Point,  and  into  Hungary 
bay,  and  landed  on  Grenadier  island.  When  we  struck  the 
shore  I  sprang  out  of  the  boat  and  fell  down  on  the  beach,  and 
thought  I  never  knew  rest  to  bo  so  sweet  before.  But  we  were 
sensible  that  it  would  not  do  to  sit  still;  therefore  we  kindled 
a  fire,  hung  on  the  tea-ket*tle,  cooked  some  vituals  —  ate  our 
supper,  attended  family  worship,  and  retired  to  rest.  Our 
weariness  invited  repose,  nor  did  the  murmur  of  the  waves  dis- 
turl)  our  slumbers ;  and  besides,  we  had  that  very  necessary 
requisite  to  sound  sleep,  recommended  by  Dr.  Franklin,  namely, 
a  good  conscience.  On  this  island  we  found  a  fortification, 
and  trees,  which  seemed  to  be  at  least  one  hundred  years  old, 
growing  in  the  intrenchment.  The  island  is  in  the  mouth  of 
Hungary  bay,  and  is  subject  to  high  winds.  Here  we  were 
detained  until  we  were  brought  to  an  allowance  of  1:)read,  having 
only  one  biscuit  a  day.  I  would  have  given  considerable  for  a 
piece  of  bread  as  big  as  my  hand,  if  I  could  have  obtained  it; 
l)ut  we  were  afraid  of  making  too  free  with  our  little  stock,  lest 
it  should  not  last  us  until  we  could  get  from  the  island.  We 
ate  our  last  biscuit  about  the  middle  of  the  day  we  left  the 
island,  and  got  into  harbour  on  the  main  land  about  11  o'clock 
at  night,  and  glad  enough  we  were  when  we  landed.     We  put  up 

that  night  at  the  house  of  our  kind  friend, Parrott,  Esq. 

He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  our  church,  and  received  us 
very  kindly.  We  informed  him  how  it  had  1)een  with  us 
respecting  food.  Sister  Parrott  hastened  to  make  supper  ready, 
but  it  was  as  much  as  I  could  do  to  keep  my  hands  from  the 


Methodism  in  the  Town  of  Marlborough.     385 


bread  until  all  was  ready.  We  took  care  not  to  eat  too  much 
that  night,  fearing  it  might  not  be  so  well  for  us.  We  retired 
to  rest  on  feather  beds,  but  it  was  a  restless  night  to  us  all. 
Brother  Coleman  had  a  mind  to  leave  the  bed  and  take  to  the 
floor,  but  I  told  him  we  must  get  used  to  it;  so  he  submitted. 
But  our  slumbers  were  not  half  so  sweet  as  on  the  sandy  beach 
and  pebbled  shore,  when  we  were  rocked  by  the  wind,  and  lulled 
by  the  rippling  wave. 

One  of  the  "  lights,''  or  joyful  circumstances  of  "■'  itinerancy," 
is  the  meeting  together,  and  mutual  comforts  of  the  preachers. 
One  of  the  "  shadows,"  or  sorrowful  circumstances,  is,  the  sepa- 
ration, and  solitary  sufferings.  I  and  my  companions  were 
now  called  to  part.  Brother  Dunham  went  to  Niagara  circuit, 
brother  Coleman  to  Bay  Quinte,  and  I  to  Oswegothe,  and  we 
were  so  far  apart  that  we  could  not  often  meet.  I  used  to  go 
sometimes  to  visit  brother  C.  The  distance  Avas  sixty  or  seventy 
miles,  and  a  great  part  of  the  way  I  had  to  travel  by  the  help  of 
marked  trees,  instead  of  roads.  One  day  I  was  lost  in  the 
woods,  and  wandered  about  for  some  time,  and  being  on  foot 
I  tore  my  clothes  very  much  with  brushwood.  But  I  got  safely 
through  at  last,  and  our  meeting  was  more  joyful  than  if  either 
of  us  had  found  a  purse  of  gold. 

On   my  circuit  also   I  had  some  gracious  seasons.     At  one 

place,   in   the   fourth  town,   at  brother  W 's,   I   used  to 

preach  with  great  liberty ;  but  when  I  had  done  I  felt  barren  in 
my  own  soul,  and  as  much  like  an  empty  cask  as  anything  to 
which  I  could  compare  myself.  It  seemed  as  if  I  had  given  all 
away,  and  had  nothing  left  for  myself.  I  was  much  dissatisfied 
with  myself,  notwithstanding  the  people  would  often  signify 
their  approbation.  My  soul  was  in  great  distress,  for  I  feared 
lest  it  should  be  found  that  I  had  "  daubed  with  untempercd 
mortar."  I  wanted  to  have  the  people  blessed,  and  wished  that 
brother  D.  would  come  and  preach  there,  for  the  people  flocked 
to  hear,  and  I  thought  he  might  do  them  good.  The  more  the 
people  applauded  the  worse  I  felt.  I  then  studied  and  prayed 
to  know  the  will  of  God  respecting  them,  and  at  length  con- 
cluded that  I  would  preach  in  a  more  terrific  manner  when  I 
came  there  again,  and  so  I  did ;  and  when  I  had  closed  my 
meeting  my  soul  was  full  of  peace,  and  I  rejoiced  in  God  my 
Saviour.  I  then  said  to  brother  W.,  who  was  the  leader  of  the 
class,  "  I  now  feel  happy,  and  that  I  have  done  my  duty,  and  if 
one  half  of  the  congregation  were  to  oppose  me.  it  would  not 
disturb  my  peace." 

The  next  day  I  heard  that  the  people  were  dissatisfied.  One 
13 


386  History  of  Maelboeough. 

said,  "  He  is  not  the  man  lie  used  to  be."  Another  said,  "  He 
now  shows  liis  cloven  foot ;"  and  others  said  they  would  hear 
me  again.  But  these  things  did  not  move  me.  By  the  grace 
of  God  I  stood 

"  Firm  as  an  iron  pillar  strong, 

And  steadfast  as  a  wall  of  brass." 

When  I  came  there  again,  instead  of  my  large  and  siniling 
congregation.  I  had  Init  al)Oiit  thirty  hearers;  but  neither  did 
this  move.  Before  preaching  I  went  into  a  room  by  myself  to 
pray.  While  thinking  on  what  text  I  should  preach,  a  passage 
of  Scripture  came  to  my  mind,  and  such  a  field  opened  before 
me,  that  I  was  almost  lost  to  all  things  here  below.  AMien  I 
began  my  meeting  a  young  woman  fell' to  the  floor  and  cried 
for  mercy ;  and  soon  after  another  cried  out  for  mercy.  I 
thought  I  must  finish  my  sermon,  luit  I  might  as  well  have 
preached  to  the  walls,  the  cries  of  the  mourners  were  so  great; 
so  I  left  my  pulpit,  which  was  nothing  more  than  a  chair,  and 
went  to  the  mourners,  and  prayed  for  them,  and  encouraged 
them  to  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus.  The  first  that  cried  for 
2nercy  said,  in  an  agony  of  soul,  "Here,  Lord,  I  am,  poor, 
miserable,  Avretched  sinner,  that  never  did  any  good  in  all  my 
life,  and  I  cannot  get  up  without  a  blessing."  And  then  she 
would  raise  her  voice  and  say,  "  Xo,  Lord,  I  will  not  get  up 
without  a  blessing."  She  was  in  this  situation  for  hours,  and 
at  length  found  peace  to  lier  soul.  She  then  prayed  for  her 
sister,  as  she  called  her.  who  was  by  this  time  in  such  an  agony 
that  she  tore  her  hair,  and  b.eat  her  head  on  the  hearth  until 
her  mother  became  alarmed  for  her,  and  ran  to  her  and  said, 
"  My  dear  daughter,  compose  yourself,  for  you  will  kill  your- 
self," at  which  the  daughter  said,  "  Mother,  let  me  alone,  for 
I  will  have  Jesus,  or  die."  She  soon  found  peace  to  her  soul. 
The  young  women  then  kissed  each  other,  and  one  said  to  the 
otlier.  "  Well,  sister,  we  Avill  tell  everybody  what  a  Jesus  we  have 
found,  and  they  will  all  come,  for  we  will  tell  them  all  about  it, 
and  they  will  come."'  "  Yes."  said  the  other,  "  I  love  God,  and 
God  loves  me:  I  love  Jesus,  and  Jesus  loves  me:'  T  love  the 
Christians,  and  the  Christians  love  me :  I  love  every  body,  and 
every  body  loves  me."  I  said  to  the  leader,  Avho  stood  by  7ne 
at  the  time,  "  I  think  that  she  will  find  that  every  body  does  not 
love  her,  if  she  does  them."  I  was  satisfied,  however,  that  she 
was  born  of  God,  and  blessed  with  a  good  measure  of  that  love 
which  "  thinketh  no  evil."  and  I  was  thankful  for  these  tokens 
of  good. 

I  will  now  relate  a  curious  fact  respecting  the  family  at  whose 


Methodism  in  the  Town  of  Marlborough.     387 

house  we  held  this  meeting.  Before  the  revolutionary  war,  the 
man  and  his  family  lived  in  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  and  in  the  com- 
mencement of  hostilities  he  joined  the,  (king's)  army,  and  went 
into  Canada,  and  left  his  wife  at  home.  They  had  no  corre- 
spondence with  each  other  during  the  Avar.  Her  parents  lived 
in  Canada  at  the  time.  A  young  man  at  Pittsfield  having  a 
desire  to  make  her  his  wife,  and  finding  that  he  could  not  have 
access  to  her  without  using  deception,  forged  a  letter  in  the 
name  of  her  father,  stating  that  her  husband  w^as  dead.  She 
dressed  in  mourning  for  him.  and  at  a  suitable  time,  (as  he 
would  have  it,)  he  made  her  a  visit,  and  at  length  they  were 
married.  At  the  close  of  the  war  the  husband  came  home;  but 
before  he  arrived  he  heard  that  his  wife  was  married  to  another 
man,  and  that  she  had  heard  that  he  was  dead.  He  then  con- 
cluded that  she  had  been  deceived,  and  that  he  would  go  and 
see  her.  She  had  never  heard  from  him  until  he  came  in  at 
the  door.  She  recognized  him  as  soon  as  she  saw  him.  She 
was  rocking  the  cradle  at  the  time,  in  which  lay  an  infant  which 
she  had  by  the  man  that  had  married  her  in  her  husband's 
absence.  She  was  ver\'  much  frightened  when  she  saw  him. 
He  requested  her  not  to  be  frightened,  and  expressed  a  wish 
to  see  the  father  of  her  child.  The  father  soon  came  in,  and 
the  husljand  introduced  himself  to  him  by  telling  him  his  name, 
and  pointing  to  his  wife,  said,  "  That  is  my  wife."  The  im- 
postor replied,  "  Xo,  she  is  my  wife."  The  husband  replied 
again,  "  She  is  my  wife,  and  you  have  deceived  her,  and  since 
she  has  been  deceived,  if  she  is  willing  to  go  with  me,  I  shall 
never  reflect  on  her.  I  have  nothing,"  said  he,  "  but  my  blanket, 
and  my  knapsack ;"  at  which  the  woman  replied,  "  I  wall  go." 
Then  the  deceiver  said,  "  You  must  go  with  only  your  clothes." 
She  replied,  "  I  will  go  with  them  only."  He  said  she  should 
not  have  the  babe.  She  answered,  she  would  go  wnthout  it.  So 
she  left  the  babe  in  the  cradle,  and  took  her  other  two  children 
with  her  and  departed. 

They  tarried  all  night  in  the  woods  the  first  night,  and  so 
on  until  they  got  into  Canada.  He  then  drew,  as  a  bounty, 
two  hundred  acres  of  land  for  himself,  fifty  for  his  wife,  and 
two  hundred  for  his  children,  and  two  years'  provisions,  wath 
farming  utensils,  and  then  settled  on  his  farm  near  the  river 
St.  Lawrence,  where  I  found  him.  He  said  he  did  not  know 
that  there  was  a  tree  cut  down  when  he  got  there.  So  he 
stretched  his  blanket  by  the  four  corners,  and  that  was  his  tent, 
until  he  had  cut  down  the  trees,  and  rolled  the  logs  together, 
and  built  a  hut  for  his  family,  and  afterwards  a  house,  etc. 


388  History  of  Marlboeough, 

Wlien  the  Methodist  preachers  came  along,  this  family  heard 
them,  and  embraced  religion,  and  were  ornaments  to  the  cause. 
Their  son  and  daughter  also  embraced  the  same  faith,  and  in 
process  of  time  married  and  settled  near  them.  And  the  little 
daughter  that  was  left  an  infant,  when  her  father  had  failed  in 
business,  hearing  that  she  had  a  mother  in  Canada,  ran  away, 
and  came  to  her  and  introduced  herself,  and  was  received  joy- 
fully by  all  the  family,  and  was  soon  brought  to  ex])erience 
religion,  and  married,  and  settled  near  her  mother.  When  I 
found  them  they  were  in  very  comfortable  circumstances.  The 
husband  never  chided  the  wife,  or  seemed  to  think  amiss  of  her, 
believing  that  she  had  been  deceived;  and  the  Avoman  verified 
that  scripture  which  says,  "  I  will  now  return  unto  my  first 
husband,  for  then  it  was  better  with  me  than  now."  And  the 
circumstance  affords  an  instance  of  the  puritv  and  strength  of 
the  "  first  love." 

I  shall  now  relate  a  circumstance  which  to  me  seemed  an 
extraordinary  interposition  of  divine  Providence  in  the  case  of 
Paul  Glasford,  a  brother  to  one  of  the  young  women  before 
mentioned.  He  was  but  little  more  than  four  years  old  when 
the  circumstance  ha])pened.  His  father's  family  were  moving 
from  the  Bay  of  Quinte  to  ]!^iagara,  in  a  small  boat.  "Wlien 
they  were  within  forty  miles  of  Niagara,  they  went  ashore  to 
cook  some  victuals;  and  there  being  some  sarsaparilla  growing 
in  the  woods  near  by,  the  mother  said  she  would  give  sixpence 
to  that  child  that  would  gather  most.  So  Paul  went  with  the 
rest  of  the  children  to  gather  sarsaparilla  ;  but  when  they  thought 
they  had  gathered  enough  to  gain  the  promised  reward,  they 
ran  toward  the  lake,  leaving  Paul  behind,  who  thought  within 
himself  that  he  would  gather  the  most,  and  thus  ensure  the 
reward.  At  length  he  started,  and  ran.  as  he  thought,  toward 
the  place  where  the  company  were  ashore,  l3ut  soon  lost  his  way. 
He  continued  running  al)Out  and  crying  until  nearly  sundown. 
He  then  came  down  to  the  lake,  but  knew  not  whether  he  was 
before  or  behind  the  company.  So  he  ran  about  on  the  beach, 
first  one  way  then  another,  until  it  began  to  grow  dark.  He 
then  gave  over  running  and  crying,  and  fixed  on  a  plan  to  go 
to  Niagara.  Having  heard  his  friends  say  that  they  were  now 
within  forty  miles  of  the  place  of  their  destination,  he  thought 
he  could  get  through  in  four  days.  But  what  should  he  do  for 
food  ?  He  concluded  that  he  could  live  without  eating  during 
that  time,  and  so  he  laid  himself  down  to  rest  upon  the  sandy 
l)each.  But  his  mind  was  greatly  agitated  respecting  his  safety. 
He  had  heard  that  some  persons,  when  waked  out  of  sleep,  were 


Methodism  in  the  Town  of  Maelborough. 


389 


so  lost  to  evervthing  about  them,  as  not  to  know  where  they 
were,  or  which' wav  to  go;  and  lest  this  should  be  his  case,  he 
made  a  hole  in  the  sand  to  lie  down  in,  and  set  up  a  stick  point- 
ing the  way  he  must  go.     He  then  covered  himself  all  over, 
except  his  liead,  with  sand,  and  composed  himself  to  sleep.     In 
the  morning  he  rose  as  cheerful  as  the  lark,  and  pursued  his 
wav   without  crving,  for  three  days  more,  being  careful  at  night 
to  set  his  little  staff  in  the  sand.     Sometimes  he  traveled  on  the 
beach  and  sometimes,  when  he  had  to  double  a  cape,  he  ascended 
the  rocks ;  but  was  alwavs  careful  to  keep  within  sight  of  the 
lake      On  his  wav  he  f(nind  some  grapes,  of  which  he  gathered 
enough  to  eat  at'  the  time,  and  to  fill  his  pockets  besides.     He 
had  heard  his  mother  sav  it  was  not  good  to  eat  many  grapes 
at  once,  and  thinking,  as  all  good  children  do,  that  what  mother 
says  must  be  true,  he  only  allowed  himself  to  eat  one  bunch  at 
a  time.     This  was  good  economy  for  a  child ;  for  by  this  means 
his  little  stock  lasted  the  longer,  and  his  health  was  not  injured 
by  over  eating.     On  his  Journey  he  saw  two  or  three  Indians 
coming  along  the  shore,  and  was  afraid  they  would  carry  him 
away;  but  he  hid  himself  behind  a  tree.     Their  dog  came  very 
near  him,  but  did  not  discover  him,  nor  did  the  Indians  see 
him ;  and  he  was  verv  glad  when  they  were  out  of  sight.     And 
who  is  there  that  knows  anv  thing  of  the  horrors  of  captivity 
but  would  be  glad  too  for  the  little  traveler?     On  the  fourth 
dav  he  arrived  at  Xiagara,  to  the  great  joy  of  his  parents,  and 
to  "the  surprise  of  all  that  knew  the  circumstance.     Even  the 
governor  himself  was  so  astonished  at  the  fact,  that  he  sent  for 
the  little  bov,  and  would  have  kept  him,  if  his  mother  had  been 
willing  to  give  him  up.     The  family  had  searched  for  him  with 
great  "anxietv  for  three  days.     They  made  large  fires,  and  fired 
guns,  but  ail  to  no  purpose;  and  when  they  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  he  was  lost,  and  to  proceed  without  him,  they  had 
to  take  his  mother  by  force,  and  put  her  into  the  boat.     Provi- 
dence, however,  overruled  the  whole,  and  restored  the  lost  son 
to  his  mother  and  friends ;  and  herein  was  that  scripture  ful- 
filled, "  When  mv  father  and  mother  forsake  me,  then  the  Lord 
shall  take  me  up."     The  son  was  eighteen  years  old  when  I  saw 
him,  and  distinctly  recollected  the  whole  affair,  as  if  it  had  been 
but  'a  few  days  past.     I  have  since  been  informed  that  he  has 
embraced  religion,  and  has  become  a  circuit  steward. 

AVe  were  favored  with  good  times  on  the  circuit  that  year. 
In  the  second  town  I  formed  a  class  of  seventeen  members,, 
mostly  seekers ;  l)ut  when  I  came  round  again,  they  had  found" 
peace  to  their  souls.     I  also  formed  a  class  in  the  north-east 


390  History  of^  Marlboeough, 

part  of  the  fourth  town,  of  ten  members,  all  mourners;  and  it 
was  with  them  as  ^Ir.  Wesley  once  said,  "  They  were  ripe  for  the 
gospel."  They  thought  they  must  do  every  thing  the  preacher 
said.  So  I  told  them  they  must  pray,  and  on  the  Lord's  day 
they  must  meet  togetlier  and  worshij^  God  as  well  as  they  could. 
They  must  repent,  and  Ijelieve,  and  God  would  l^less  them.  They 
accordingly  met  together,  read  the  Scriptures,  and  sung  hymns 
with  one  another,  but  for  some  time  no  one  dared  to  pray.  At 
length  one  woman  said  she  had  as  much  reason  to  pray  as  any 
one  there  and  then,  and  added,  "  Let  us  pray."  When  she 
began,  they  all  began,  and  all  found  peace,  except  herself.  Her 
husband  said  she  was  on  her  knees  ten  times  on  their  way  home, 
and  when  in  sight  of  home  she  cried  out,  "  Lord,  must  I  be  the 
only  one  that  goes  home  without  a  blessing?  Bless  me,  even 
me,  0,  my  God."  She  did  not  pray  in  vain ;  but  though  for  a 
time  she  was  seemingly  refused  an  answer,  the  Lord  at  length 
spoke  peace  to  her  soul.  She  and  her  husband  then  went  on 
their  way  rejoicing,  and  the  little  flock  prospered  greatly  from 
this  time  forward  as  long  as  I  continued  with  them.  "Wlien  the 
time  came  for  me  to  leave  the  circuit,  they  were  so  afraid  that 
they  should  l)e  left  without  preaching,  (inasmuch  as  the  preach- 
ers that  went  to  C^anada  volunteered,)  that  they  offered  their 
lands.  One  and  another  offered  fifty  acres,  and  so  on,  according 
to  their  abilities.  I  told  them  I  did  not  come  after  their  lands, 
but  that  they  might  depend  on  having  preaching,  notwithstand- 
ing my  removal.  One  man  followed  me  down  to  the  water  side, 
and  there  we  sat  for  some  time,  and  talked  and  wept  together; 
and  when  I  got  into  the  boat,  he  threw  his  arms  around  me,  and 
waded  knee  deep  into  the  water,  and  said,  "  If  you  will  but  come 
back  again,  as  long  as  I  have  two  mouthfuls  of  bread  you  shall 
have  one."  Thus  we  parted,  with  mingled  emotions  of  pleasure 
and  regret.  It  was  to  me  a  source  of  inexpressible  satisfaction 
that  I  had  been  made  useful  to  a  few  of  my  fellows,  though  of 
another  nation ;  and  the  thought  of  meeting  them  on  Canaan's 
happy  shore,  after  the  trials  of  life  are  over,  and  of  greeting 
them  as  my  spiritual  cliildren,  often  gilds  the  shadows  of  my 
supernumerary  hours,  and  gives  V)rilliancy  to  the  rays  of  my 
descending  sun. 

We  then  made  our  wav  toward  the  conference,  which  was 
appointed  to  be  held  in  Xew  York.  We  started  from  the  Bay 
of  Quinte  in  a  batteau.  with  a  change  of  oarsmen,  or  double 
manned.  xA.bout  sunset  we  left  the  shore,  and  got  across  '.he 
lake  while  it  was  calm.  I  had  had  the  ague  and  fever,  and  had 
missed  having  it  only  a  few  days ;  and  one  of  the  hands  failing 


Methodism  in  the  To^v^IS^  of  Marlborough.     391 

abo^^t  11  o'clock,  p.  m.,  it  fell  to  my  lot  to  take  his  place.  Tlie 
labour  of  rowing-  together  with  the  night  air,  brought  on  a  re- 
turn of  my  disorder.  When  we  were  going  up  the  Oswego 
river  we  called  to  see  our  host,  the  good  man  mentioned  before, 
whose  wife  was  sick  at  the  time  we  first  called.  The  family 
appeared  to  be  very  glad  to  see  us.  The  woman  said  she  was 
as  glad  to  see  us  as  she  would  have  heeii  to  see  her  own  father. 
They  seemed  to  l:)e  doing  well  as  to  the  things  of  this  world. 
The  man  had  cleared  some  of  his  land,  and  planted  corn, 
potatoes,  &c.  They  had  also  two  or  three  cows.  They  kindly 
invited  us  to  tarry  awhile,  which  we  readily  consented  to  do. 
We  told  them  we  had  plenty  of  dry  provisions,  and  asked  the 
woman  if  she  had  any  milk,  and  said  we  should  l)e  glad  of  a 
little.'  They  had  plenty  of  good  milk,  but  that  was  not  con- 
sidered good  enough,  hy  our  generous  hostess,  for  the  men  who 
had  visited  them  in  their  affliction,  and  had  relieved  them  in 
their  distresses.  So  she  offered  us  cream,  but  we  refused  at 
first  to  eat  of  it,  until  her  generosity  overcame  our  scruples. 
Some  writers  of  the  present  day  have  accused  the  Methodist 
preachers  of  sponging;  l)ut  I  can  testify,  for  one,  that  in  those 
days,  though  we  sometimes  carried  our  provisions  with  us,  we 
never  carried  a  sponge,  neither  in  our  pockets  nor  in  our  hearts, 
even  when  the  friends  who  entertained  us  were  very  thinly 
scattered  through  the  country.  ^Much  less  is  there  any  need  or 
disposition  for  any  thing  of  the  kind  now. 

Having  digressed  a  little,  I  must  now  return  to  my  sul^ject. 
Such  was  the  gratitude  of  this  family  for  the  kindness  we  had 
shown  them  on  our  way  to  Canada,  that  it  seemed  as  if  they 
never  could  do  enough  to  make  us  welcome.  Had  they  been 
as  rich  as  Abraham  of  old,  I  have  no  doubt  they  w^ould  have 
"killed  the  fatted  calf"  for  us,  and  "  l)aked  cakes"  for  our 
entertainment,  for  thev  boiled  of  their  potatoes  and  green  corn 
for  us,  and  laid  heavy  contributions  upon  the  cucumbers  and 
water  melons  for  our  sakes,  accounting  nothing  too  good  for  us 
that  was  in  their  power  to  l)estow.  The  good  man  went  three 
or  four  miles  up  the  river  with  us  in  order  to  help  us  up  the 
rapids,  and  when  we  parted  wished  us  every  blessing. 

Xor  was  this  the  only  instance  of  kindness  that  T  have  wit- 
nessed during  the  years  of  my  itinerancy.  How  often  have  I 
seen  the  aged  grandsire,  with  silvery  locks,  and  eyes  bedewed 
with  tears  of  gladness,  rise  up  at  the  sound  of  a  preacher's  voice, 
as  he  rode  up  to  the  little  gate  in  front  of  the  house,  to  welcome 
his  return  on  the  "  circuit-preaching  day,"  while  the  heir  to  the 
estate,  and  his  amiable  consort,  have  each  responded,  "  Welcome 


392  History  of  Marlborough, 

to  our  abode  once  again,  brother  ."     And  there  was  'he 

little  grandson  ever  ready,  as  soon  as  the  preacher  alighted 
from  his  horse,  to  mount  him,  and  ride  to  the  pasture,  or  take 
him  to  the  stable.  And  there  were  the  lovely  daughters  of 
"  mine  host,"  emulous  of  each  other,  to  see  which  should  be  the 
first  to  take  my  hat  and  cloak,  or  saddle-bags  from  my  hand, 
and  set  me  a  chair;  while  aged  grandmother,  with  her  spec- 
tacles on,  a  short  pipe  in  her  mouth,  l)oth  of  which  were  laid 
aside  at  the  sound  of  my  name,  in  order  that  she  might  inquire 
after  the  welfare  of  distant  friends,  or  listen  for  a  brief  moment 
to  the  short  recital  of  the  affairs  of  the  circuit,  and  the  state 
of  religion,  and  things  in  general.  While  this  has  been  going 
on,  the  eldest  daughter  has  announced  to  her  mother  that  the 
tea  was  readv,  and  then,  after  invoking  Heaven's  blessing,  have 
we  set  round  the  old-fashioned  circular  tal)le  with  as  glad  hearts 
and  as  cheerful  countenances  as  ever  were  seen  in  the  tent  of  a 
patriarch,  or  at  a  Persian  feast.  And  after  the  "evening 
preaching,''  during  the  long  night  of  winter,  what  social  hours 
have  I  spent  beneath  the  hospitable  roof  of  some  of  our  pious 
farmers  in  our  excellent  country,  where  no  less  than  a  dozen 
children  and  grandchildren  have  graced  the  circle  — "  all  edu- 
cated," more  or  less,  ''■  all  virtuous,"  and  dutiful,  and  more  than 
half  of  them  "  decidedly  religious  " — 

"  While  hymns  of  thanksgiving,  with  liarmony  swelling, 

All  warm  from  the  hearts  of  the  family  band, 
Half  raised  us  from  earth  to  the  rapturous  dwelling 

Described   in  the   Bible  that  lay  on  the  stand." 

And  then  on  the  morning  of  my  departure,  (for  circuit- 
riders  cannot  often  stay  more  than  one  night  at  a  place,)  after 
family  prayers  and  l)reakfast,  what  smiles  and  expressions  of 
good  will  have  I  seen  and  heard  again  and  again !  To  say 
nothing  of  the  "  blessings  and  good  wishes  "  that  attended  me 
on  my  last  round,  and  the  happy  greeting  on  my  return  to  the 
circuit  after  a  few  years'  absence,  even  the  ordinary  pleasures 
and  comforts  of  a  two  weeks',  four  weeks',  or  six  weeks'  circuit, 
are  such  as  none  but  traveling  preachers  know.  They  are  the 
"  lights  of  itinerancy,"  and  they  must  be  recorded  to  the  honour 
of  Methodism,  and  to  the  glory  of  God. 

We  got  through  our  Journey  in  thirteen  days,  whereas  in 
going  to  Canada  we  were  nineteen  days.  But  before  we  had 
ascended  the  Oswego  river,  I  had  the  ague  and  fever  every  day, 
which  made  it  very  tedious  for  me;  and  when  we  came  to 
Oneida  lake,  being  in  the  month  of  August,  the  weather  was 


Methodism  in  the  Town  of  Marlboeough. 


593 


very  hot,  and  havins  the  fever,  and  lying  in  the  heat  of  the  sun, 
I  was  almost  overc^ome.  My  companions  at  length  concluded 
to  take  me  to  the  shore,  where  I  could  Ije  in  the  shade,  and 
accordino-lv  thev  did,  which,  when  I  had  fairly  gained,  I  fainted, 
and  the  first  thing  I  knew  was,  one  had  hold  of  my  hand,  and 
was  callino-  to  the  rest  to  come  and  assist  him.  It  seemed  to 
me  as  if  f  had  just  waked  out  of  sleep.  At  one  time  I  laid  all 
night  by  the  side  of  a  fence,  with  a  Inirning  fever  raging  m  every 
vein,  without  anv  covering  but  my  clothes,  or  canopy  Init  the 
vaulted  heavens, "with  not  so  much  as  Jonah's  gourd  to  shelter 
me  from  the  chilling  dews,  or  downy  pillow  on  which  to  recline 
my  weary  head.  These  were  some  of  the  "  shadows  of  itmer- 
ancv ;"  but  they  also  have  "  fled  away." 

men  we  came  to  New-York  the  yellow  fever  was  there,  m 
consequence  of  which  the  conference  was  removed  to  White 
Plains  in  Westchester  countv,  Xew-York.  The  session  was  a 
very  pleasant  one.  The  preachers,  after  an  aljsence  of  twelve 
months,  were  glad  to  see  each  other.  We  loved  one  another,  and 
while  we  were  together  the  Spirit  of  glory  and  God  rested  upoii 
us.  We  felt  willing  to  live,  to  suffer,  and  to  die  together.  It 
one  had  received  a  Uttle  more  than  his  Ijrother,  he  was  willing 
to  divide  with  him.  To  be  sure,  we  felt  sensible  of  our  de- 
ficiencies, as  well  in  regard  to  remuneration  as  qualifications  for 
the  work'.  But  we  hoped  to  share  the  spoil  together  in  a  better 
world,  when  all  our  toils  are  over,  and  all  our  griefs  are  spent ; 
and  this  hope  was  as  an  anchor  to  the  soul  amidst  all  the 
tempests  and  l)illows  with  which  we  had  to  contend. 

When  the  appointments  were  read  out,  the  preachers  appeared 
to  receive  them  glad! v.  My  appointment  was  to  the  Bay  of 
-Quinte  circuit.  On  our  way  to  Canada,  we  were  met  at 
Schenectady  bv  some  of  our  Canadian  friends,  who  helped  us 
on  our  way.  We  ascended  the  IMohawk  in  company  with  Cap- 
tain Parrott.  who,  though  not  a  professor  of  religion,  was  very 
friendly,  and  we  got  along  without  any  difficulty  until  we  came 
to  the  Oneida  lake.  When  we  arrived  at  the  lake,  the  wind  was 
very  high,  and  the  lake  was  all  in  a  foam,  which  continued  all 
that  da"v,  and  until  about  midnight.  The  wind  then  ceased, 
and  the"  troubled  waters  became  calm.  About  1  o'clock,  a.  m., 
we  embarked  and  after  we  had  rowed  about  six  miles  down  the 
lake,  the  wind  l)egan  to  roar  tremendously,  and  streaks  of  light 
brought  through  the  clouds  in  a  manner  I  had  not  seen  before. 
Our  captain  seemed  to  understand  it  as  foreboding  a  heavy  storm. 
We  therefore  made  what  preparation  we  could  to  encounter  it. 
We  spread  our  little  sail,  expecting  the  wind  aft.     We  lashed 


394  History  of  Marlborough. 


two  oars  to  the  stern.  The  wind  soon  strnck  us,  but  we  received 
no  particular  damage.  Tlie  clouds  were  dense  and  dismal,  and 
the  waves  broke  over  us  with  fury.  Our  friend,  the  captain, 
though  an  old  sailor,  was  frightened,  and  cried  out,  "  We  are 
all  dead  men!"  T  said,  "  The  Lord  will  provide;"  and  yet,  not- 
withstanding my  firm  conviction  in  the  power  and  mercy  of  the 
Lord,  I  sometimes  feared  for  a  moment  that  the  lake  would  be 
my  grave.  These  fears,  however,  were  salutary ;  they  caused  me 
to  examine  myself,  and  the  motives  which  induced  me  to  under- 
take the  work  in  which  I  was  engaged.  At  length  the  good 
providence  of  God  brought  us  safe  through.  When  we  reached 
the  shore  we  all  rejoiced.  The  captain  said  he  did  not  mucli 
expect,  at  one  time,  ever  to  set  foot  on  dry  land  again,  and  that 
all  his  hopes  were  founded  on  this  consideration,  namely,  he 
did  not  know  but  that  the  Lord  might  spare  his  life  for  the 
preachers'  sakes. 

In  due  time  we  arrived  in  Canada,  and  our  friends  received 
us  gladly.  We  enjoyed  many  seasons  of  refreshing  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord  on  the  circuit,  although  I  experienced 
many  hardships  in  the  course  of  the  year.  Some  part  of  the 
circuit  I  had  to  travel  on  foot,  being  unable  to  get  my  horse 
across  the  bays  and  rivers.  Sometimes  I  had  to  travel  fifteen 
miles  a  day,  preach  twice,  and  have  never  set  down  from  Ihe 
rising  to  the  setting  of  the  sun.  My  knees  and  ankles  pained 
me  very  much ;  and  when  I  was  preaching  I  used  to  stand  some- 
times on  one  foot,  and  then  on  tlie  other,  to  get  rest.  But  rest 
was  not  easily  ol)tained,  even  in  bed,  my  knees  and  ankles  were 
so  swelled  and  full  of  pain.  My  soul,  however,  was  happy  in 
the  Lord,  and  my  spirit  rejoiced  in  God  my  Saviour.  The  flesh 
was  often  weak,  but  the  spirit  was  willing  to  endure  hardness  as 
a  good  soldier  for  Christ's  sake. 

On  this  circuit  I  used  to  meet  the  natives,  the  red  men  of 
the  forest.  One  time,  as  brother  D.  and  I  were  riding  near  1he 
woods,  we  saw,  a  little  ahead  of  us,  a  company  of  Indians,  fifteen 
in  number.  They  had  l)een  drinking  too  much,  and  Avere 
painted  as  if  tliey  were  going  to  war,  a  red  streak  of  an  inch 
wide,  and  a  Ijlack  streak  of  the  same  width,  all  over  their  faces 
and  hair,  most  frightful  to  behold.  When  we  came  up  with 
them,  we  saluted  them  with,  "  Sago,  brother,"  at  which  they 
returned  the  same  salutation.  But  they  got  before  our  horses, 
and  made  motions  for  us  to  dismount,  which  we  were  not  in- 
clined to  do,  and  shook  our  heads  to  intimate  the  same.  They 
then  took  hold  of  the  horses'  bridles.  We  again  shook  our  heads. 
They  then  took  hold  of  our  legs,  but  we  pushed  them  away. 


Methodism  in  the  Town  of  Marlborough.     395 


They  then  let  lis  pass,  after  giving  sucli  a  yell  as  made  the  woods 
ring  again.  But  we  were  right  glad  when  we  had  got  rid  of 
such  troublesome  company.  Some  of  the  natives  are  good 
singers.  There  was  one  named  Eed  Jacket,  with  whom  I  used 
to  sing.  He  had  the  Psalms  translated  into  Indiart,  and  would 
sing  in  Indian  while  I  sung  in  English.  The  Xew  Testannmt 
and  Psalms  were  said  to  be  translated  l)y  Capt.  Brandt.  He 
lived  near  Grassy  Point.  I  have  often  passed  by  the  place,  and 
seen  his  house  many  times.  He  was  rich,  and  had  much  of  this 
world's  goods.  I  also  saw  the  wife  of  Sir  John  Johnson.  She 
was  one  of  the  natives,  and  wore  her  satin  blanket.  I  also  saw 
her  voungest  daughter.  She  was  very  fair  to  look  upon,  in 
consequence  of  which  one  gentleman  killed  himself  l)ecause  he 
could  not  get  her  to  wife.     Thus  he  died  "  as  a  fool  dieth." 

Having  finished  my  tour  on  this  circuit,  and  my  mission  in 
Canada,  I  repaired  again  to  the  conference,  which  was  held  in 
New  York. 

On  the  Flanders,  Xew  Jersey  circuit,  1801.  "*  *  *  So  I 
began,  by  saying  what  I  seldom  allowed  myself  to  say,  namely, 
I  had  no  more  douljt  that  God  would  bless  the  people  that  day 
than  I  had  of  his  existence,  or  the  reality  of  religion.  And 
truly  it  was  a  great  and  glorious  time  that  day.  I  did  not  leave 
the  house  until  eleven  o'clock  at  night,  and  many  stayed  all 
night.  When  I  went  in  the  morning  to  regulate  things  a  little, 
I  found  the  superfluities  of  dress  strewed  all  around  in  the 
house,  and  the  people  actually  refused  to  carry  them  away  with 
them.  On  the  Sabbath  it  was  thought  there  were  six  thousand 
persons  present.  There  was  preaching  from  the  pulpit,  ex- 
horting from  the  windows,  and  sinners  crying  for  mercy  in  the 
house  and  out  of  it.  Prom  this  meeting  this  work  spread  all 
around  the  circuit,  and  many  were  added  unto  the  Lord  that 

Soon  after  this  I  set  off  for  the  conference,  Avhich  was  held 
this  year  (1802)  in  Philadelphia.  "We  had  an  agreeable  time 
all  through  the  season.  My  lot  was  to  return  again  to  Flanders 
circuit,  and  I  had  for  my  colleague  Gamaliel  Bailey.  The. 
revival  continued,  and  there  was  a  considerable  addition  to  the 
societies  in  the  course  of  the  year,  a  number  of  whom  were  set 
off  to  another  circuit.  At  one  place,  "  the  Log  Jail,"  we  had 
a  good  time,  and  the  work  of  the  Lord  went  on  prosperously. 
We  preached  at  the  house  of  one  Amos  Mann,  a  spiritual  son 
of  Benjamin  Abbott,  and  a  very  good  one  he  was.  *  *  * 
Our  congregation  soon  became  so  large  that  the  house  would 
not  contain  them.     I  then  said  to  brother  Mann,  "  You  must 


396  History  of  Marlborough. 


enlarge  your  house."  He  said,  "  I  will  have  another  house 
enclosed  by  the  time  you  come  here  again."  And  so  it  was. 
We  had  now  two  houses,  and  they  were  both  filled.  At  the  next 
meeting,  however,  we  had  to  take  the  open  air  for  our  temple, 
though  the  weather  was  very  cold.  To  accommodate  the 
preacher  as  well  as  they  could,  they  fixed  up  a  l)lanket  to  keep 
off'  the  cold  north-west  wind,  and  under  these  circumstances  I 
preached  to  the  people,  while  they  sat  on  the  ground.  *  *  * 
In  1803  our  conference  was  held  at  a  place  called  Duck  Creek, 
in  the  state  of  Delaware.  At  this  place  the  Quakers  gave  us 
the  use  of  their  meeting-house  to  hold  our  conference  in,  and 
we  had  preaching  in  ours  every  day;  and  as  it  was  judged  that 
at  the  conference  held  in  that  place  the  time  before,  there  were 
a  hundred  souls  converted,  this  brought  together  a  great  con- 
course of  people.  They  brought  their  tents,  and  pitched  them 
near  the  town,  and  carried  on  their  meetings  all  night.  At  this 
conference  I  was  appointed  a  third  time  to  Flanders  circuit, 
and  travelled  there  three  months  on  my  third  year,  at  the  ex- 
piration of  which  I  was  appointed  to  take  charge  of  the  Albany 
district.  This  was  no  small  trial  to  me;  but  I  tried  to  l)ear 
the  cross  as  well  as  I  could.  *  *  *  j  j-^q^y  wished  to  have 
Tny  next  appointment  on  Newburgh  circuit,  and  I  sent  my  re- 
quest to  Bishop  Asbury  at  the  conference  accordingly.  He  did 
not  see  fit,  however,  to  grant  it,  but  chose  that  for  me  which 
was  better  than  if  my  own  request  had  l)een  granted.  He 
appointed  me  to  Brooklyn.  *  *  *  jj-^  ^]^^  y^^^  ]^g]^5  j  ^r^s 
elected  a  delegate  to  the  General  Conference,  which  took  place 
in  1816,  at  Baltimore.  Bishop  Asbury  died  a  little  before  the 
sitting  of  this  conference.  Our  friends  in  Baltimore  had  heard 
that  the  bishop,  in  a  former  will,  had  bequeathed  his  l)ody  to 
his  Baltimore  friends,  he  having  formed  the  first  Methodist 
society  in  that  place.  They  therefore  petitioned  the  General 
Conference  for  permission  to  have  his  body  taken  up,  and 
brought  to  their  city.  The  bishop  had  been  buried  in  a  private 
burying  ground,  about  seventy  miles  from  Baltimore  —  the 
friends  in  Baltimore  wished  him  to  be  buried  under  the  pulpit 
in  the  Eutaw  church.  Their  request  was  granted,  and  they 
brought  him  to  tlie  city  while  the  conference  was  in  session; 
and  although  it  was  not  published  in  any  of  the  churches,  yet 
I  think  there  was  the  greatest  concourse  of  people  I  ever  wit- 
nessed. It  was  said  by  brother  Bond,  who  was  with  him  when 
he  died,  and  also  conveyed  his  body  to  the  city,  that  the  corpse 
when  taken  up  was  but  very  little  changed,  although  it  had 
lieen  twenty  days  in  the  grave.     He  was  put  into  a  lead  coffin; 


Methodism  in  the  Town  of  Marlborough.     397 

so  we  did  not  see  the  corpse.  Bishop  M'Kendree  officiated  at 
the  place.  Brother  Bhick,  one  of  the  delegates  from  iSTova 
Scotia  to  our  conference,  walked  with  Bishop  M'Kendree,  and 
all  the  preachers  of  the  General  Conference  walked  two  and 
two  to  the  church. 

The  first  meetings  that  were  held  in  the  town  from 
1786  up  to  1812  were  held  at  the  houses  of  the  class 
leaders  and  at  the  houses  of  the  other  members;  and 
the  services  were  mostly  conducted  by  the  circuit 
preachers  appointed  for  that  purpose  and  by  the  class 
leaders  and  the  exhorters.  The  classes  about  this 
town  organized  themselves  into  a  church  and  on  No- 
vember 16,  1812,  the  Milton  M.  E.  Society  was  incor- 
porated l)y  a  certificate  executed  upon  that  day.  The 
election  was  presided  over  by  Richard  Burdge  and 
Ananias  Ketcham,  inspectors ;  Thomas  Woolsey, 
Uriah  Coffin,  Richard  I.  Woolsey,  Henry  Woolsey,  and 
Jacob  Dayton  were  elected  trustees.  The  instrument 
was  witnessed  by  W^illiam  Bolton  and  Nathaniel 
Chittenden;  sworn  to  before  justice  David  Staples 
and  the  record  attested  by  Christopher  Tappen,  clerk. 

The  same  year  the  trustees  commenced  the  erection 
of  the  present  Methodist  church  at  Milton.  Money 
was  very  scarce  in  those  times  and  people  were  poor, 
but  they  completed  the  church  at  a  cost  of  $1907.92. 
The  amount  of  the  subscription  up  to  the  time  of  the 
dedication  of  the  church  had  been  but  $1200,  lea\dng 
a  balance  due  the  trustees  of  $707.92.  This  debt  was 
carried  along  for  several  years,  and  was  principally 
paid  by  the  trustees  themselves.  The  church  re- 
mained substantially  the  same  until  about  the  year 
1855,  when  some  im^jrovements  were  made. 

In  1904  and  1905  the  church  was  enlarged  and  re- 
modeled, refurnished,  etc.,  at  an  expense  of  $7,000,  and 
at  the  present  time  no  finer,  or  more  convenient  church 
of  its  size  is  to  be  found  in  the  county.  This  church 
has  the  distinction  of  being  the  first  Methodist  church 


398  History  of  Marlborough, 

built  in  the  county.  This  society  obtained  a  second 
certificate  of  incorporation,  whicli  was  executed  March 
18,  1845,  the  trustees  chosen  at  that  time  being  James 
A.  Disbrow,  Isaac  L.  Craft,  James  Bh)ckledge,  Jacob 
H.  Gillis,  and  Eemos  Wools-ey. 

The  earliest  preachers  in  connection  with  the  New- 
burgh  circuit,  which  included  what  is  now  this  town, 
who  resided  here  and  who  preached  in  the  circuit,  I 
find  are  as  follows.  The  list  is  not  complete  up  to  1817 
but  I  give  such  names  as  I  find  up  to  that  time : 

1797,  Thomas  Woolsey;  1800-1806  inclusive,  Elijah 
Woolsey;  1819  to  1822  inclusive,  Eben  Smith;  1827  to 
1830  inclusive,  1835  to  1,838  inclusive,  Phineas  Rice, 
who,  I  think  was  the  Presiding  Elder;  1817,  Stephen 
Jacobs,  Heman  Bangs  and  Earl  Bancroft;  1818,  Her- 
man Bangs  and  Elijah  Woolsey;  1819,  Peter  P.  San- 
ford  and  Josiah  Brower;  1820,  Arnold  Schofield  and 
Josiah  Brower;  1821,  Arnold  Schofield  and  Smith 
Arnold;  1822,  Jesse  Hunt  and  John  C.  Green;  1823, 
Jesse  Hunt  and  Nicholas  White;  1824,  Nicholas 
White;  1825,  Bradley  Silleck;  1826,  Bradley  Silleck; 
1827,  1828,  Humphrey  Humphreys ;  1829,  Eben  Smith ; 
J.  D.  Marshall;  1830,  Valentine  Buck;  1831,  B.  Grif- 
fin, L.  Fisher;  1832,  H.  Wing,  William  Miller;  1833, 
H.  Wing,  D.  Webster,  E.  Washburn;  1834,  E.  Wash- 
burn,  McFarland,  D,  Webster ;  1835,  J.  W.  Lefever, 

Jacob  Shaw,  W.  M.  Ferguson;  1836,  C.  Stillwell, 
Jacob  Shaw;  1837,  Valentine  Buck,  E.  Crawford; 
1838,  John  C.  Green,  Elijah  Crawford;  1839,  John 
C.  Green,  Eben  Smith.  Up  to  this  time  these  preach- 
ers had  quite  large  circuits.  They  not  only  held  ser- 
\dces  at  Milton  and  Marlborough,  but  in  many  of  the 
surrounding  churches.  In  fact  each  one  had  charge 
of  several  churches  or  meetings.  After  1840  and  up 
to  1858  the  preachers  then  had  charge  of  the  Milton, 
Marlborough,  and  Lattintown  churches.  1840  and 
1841,  Edward  Oldrin;  1842,  F.  W.  Smith;  1843  and 


Methodism  in  the  Town  of  Marlborough.     399 

1844,.  Theron  Osbon;  1845,  David  Webster;  1846  and 
1847,  Matthew  Vendeusan;  1848  ad  1849,  Edward 
Oldrin;  1850  and  1851,  Nathan  Rice;  1852  and  1853, 
Lorin  Clark;  1854  and  1855,  James  H.  Hauxhiirst; 
1856  and  1857,  T.  B.  Smith.  From  this  time  the  Mil- 
ton and  Marlborough  churches  have  had  is-eparate 
resident  pastors;  1858  and  1859,  D.  W.  C.  Van  Gaas- 
beck;  1860,  J.  A.  Edmonds;  1861  and  1862,  J.  W. 
Smith;  1863,  Aaron  Hunt;  1864  and  1865,  E.  S.  Osbon; 
1866  and  1867,  J.  Croft ;  1868  and  1869,  D.  Phillips ; 
1870-1872,  Peter  C.  Oakley;  1873  and  1874,  Horace 
Wood;  1875,  F.  D.  Abrams;  1876  and  1877,  Charles 
Palmer;  1878,  E.  H.  Roys;  1879,  J.  L.  G.  McKown, 
(died  here  May  2,  1879;  H.  Jackson  supplied) ;  1880- 
1882,  C.  C.  Miller;  1883-1885,  C.  F.  Wixon;  1886  and 
1887,  Charles  H.  Snedeker;  1888-1892,  E.  S.  Bishop; 
1893  and  1894,  M.  B.  Snyder;  1895,  J.  C.  Hoyt;  1896- 
1899,  I.  H.  Lent;  1900-1902,  F.  H.  Deming;  1903-1905, 
G.  A.  Shahan;  1906  and  1907,  R.  N.  Birdsall;  1908, 
Abram  W^oodward. 

Peter  C.  Oakley,  born  August  20,  1800,  died  June 
15,  1889,  and  buried  in  the  Methodist  churchyard, 
resided  here  many  years  before  his  death;  he  was  a 
supernumerary,  and  rendered  good  and  efficient  ser- 
vice to  the  church.  Eben  Smith  died  May  18,  1841; 
for  forty  years  a  minister  of  Christ ;  he  is  also  buried 
in  the  graveyard. 

The  present  numl^er  of  church  members  is  120. 
Present  trustees:  Thomas  F.  Sears,  Griggs  Rhodes, 
Isaac  Conklin,  Frank  C.  Wood,  James  R.  Clark; 
Stewards :  William  H.  Lyons,  Ensign  Lyons,  Charles 
W.  Fisher,  William  Purdy,  Frank  C.  Wood,  John 
Wood,  James  R.  Clark,  Susan  M.  Rutter,  Jane  Oakley, 
Mrs.  Ruth  Coutant,  Mrs.  Melissa  Purdy. 

My  old  friend,  Nicholas  Hallock,  tells  me  that  he 
remembers  in  1834,  when  Lorenzo  Dow,  the  great  ora- 
tor, spoke  in  the  Methodist  church.    Mr.  Hallock  was 


400  History  of  Marlboeough. 

a  mere  child  at  the  time,  and  remembers  going  with 
a  rehitive  to  the  church.  The  relative  corrected  him 
at  the  time,  which  fastened  it  in  his  memory.  As  he 
remembers  it,  there  was  a  gallery  on  the  north  and 
south  sides  of  the  church,  and  they  were  in  the  gal- 
lery overlooking  Dow,  who  was  then  an  old  man  with 
a  long  flowing  white  beard  reaching  almost  to  his 
waist.  He  spoke  earn-estly  and  made  many  gestures. 
A  great  crowd  of  people  were  present.  At  night  he 
held  a  meeting  at  or  near  what  was  then  called  Dog- 
street.  He  gave  out  at  this  meeting  that  there  would 
be  services  at  the  Baptist  church,  Lattintown,  that 
night  at  midnight ;  and  it  was  said  great  crowds  were 
there  to  meet  him.  It  is  also  told  of  him  that  he 
preached  from  a  stump,  and  when  he  closed  the  meet- 
ing, he  gave  notice  that  preaching  would  be  there  at 
the  same  place  one  year  from  that  night,  at  which  time 
he  was  on  hand  and  preached.  The  circuit  preacher 
whose  narrative  is  previously  given,  was  afterward 
in  the  Middletown,  Connecticut,  circuit;  he  says; 

At  Xorth  Guilford  there  was  one  thing  transpired  which 
was  very  extraordinary.  It  was  at  a  time  when  Lorenzo  Dow 
was  preaching.  He  ol)served  that  there  was  a  young  lady  in 
the  congregation  who  was  very  inattentive  to  the  word,  and 
was  also  laughing.  He  said  to  her,  "  Young  woman,  I  will 
tell  your  fortune  when  I  get  through  this  head  of  my  dis- 
course ;"'  and  when  he  had  got  through,  he  said,  "Xow,  young 
lady,  I  will  tell  you  your  fortune."  She  then  hraced  herself 
up,  and,  witli  all  tlie  l)oldness  imaginahle,  laughed  the  preacher 
in  the  face.  He  then  said.  "  Young  lady,  you  have  no  time 
to  laugh :  you  had  hetter  l)e  preparing  your  grave-clothes,  for 
you  will  need  them  in  less  than  two  weeks."  *  *  *  so  it 
turned  out,  that  in  ten  days  from  that  time  the  young  lady  was 
hrought  a  corpse  into  that  house,  which  was  matter  of  great 
astonishment  to  all  the  congregation.  This  same  woman  was 
said  to  be  a  very  healthy  person,  and  this  made  it  appear  the 
more  astonishing  to  the  people.  I  recollect  having  been  with 
Lorenzo  once  when  he  had  l^een  telling  some  of  the  people  their 
fortunes.  As  we  lodged  together  that  night,  I  asked  him  how 
it  was  that  he  could  tell  the  people  what  was  to  come  to  pass, 


MAKi.r.(iK()r<.n  M.   K.  tin  i;i  n- 


Marlborough  Methodist  Church.  401 

and  tell  it  with  such  confidence.  He  said,  that  things  came 
to  his  mind  with  snch  light  and  power,  that  if  he  did  not 
speak  of  them  he  felt  guilty. 

There  is  notlnDg  supernatural  about  the  death  of 
this  poor  girl.  It  is  very  doubtful,  indeed,  if  Dow 
could  tell  future  events,  or  had  any  presentiment  of 
the  death  of  this  girl.  He  was  noted  for  being  a  bold, 
reckless  speaker,  and  said  many  things  in  his  dis- 
courses that  might  better  have  been  unsaid.  It  is  very 
probable  that  this  girl  was  scared  to  death.  The 
words  of  the  preacher  were  so  direct  and  earnest  and 
said  in  the  presence  of  all  her  neighbors  and  friends, 
that  evidently  they  produced  a  shock,  and  was  such  a 
great  terror  to  her  mind,  that  in  fear  and  trembling, 
and  sleepless  nights  and  horrid  dreams,  which  she 
could  not  suppress,  she  was  hurried  to  her  grave. 
It  was  a  wicked,  dangerous  thing  to  say  to  anyone, 
especially  to  so  young  a  person;  and  such  a  thing 
would  not  be  allowed  at  this  day. 


Marlborough   Methodist   Church. 

As  has  been  seen,  Lulf  Smith  had  a  class  in  1786 
near  Marlborough,  and  from  that  time  up  to  1830 
services  were  held  at  houses,  and  sometimes  at  the 
Presbyterian  church,  and  at  the  schoolhouse,  at  irreg- 
ular times.  Whenever  a  circuit  preacher  came 
through  this  country  he  would  hold  services  at  such 
places  as  were  prepared  for  him,  but  they  were  irreg- 
ular gatherings,  most  of  the  :\rethodists  about  here 
attending  at  the  Milton  church.  In  1830  they  com- 
pleted the  old  frame  church  on  Main  street,  and  used 
it  until  1867,  when  it  was  sold  to  the  Catholic  people, 
and  the  Methodists  the  same  year  occupied  the  new 
church  on  Grand  street ;  the  new  church  together  with 
the  lot  cost  $16,000.     The   church  was  incorporated 


402  History  of  Marlborough, 

October  28,  1830,  under  the  statute  relating  to  the 
incorporation  of  religious  societies,  James  H.  Long- 
bottom  and  Barnabus  M.  Mapes  presided  at  the  elec- 
tion of  trustees,  and  Samuel  Beebe,  James  H.  Long- 
bottom,  Josiali  Lockwood,  Barnabus  M,  Mapes,  and 
Charles  Merritt  were  duly  elected  as  such  trustees. 
The  church  was  named  The  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  of  Marlborough  and  the  certificate  was 
acknowledged  before  A.  D.  Soper,  first  judge  of 
Ulster  county.  After  the  dedication  of  the  church 
a  deep  religious  interest  followed  and  many  were 
added  to  the  church,  among  whom  was  Henry  Terbush, 
and  Z,  N.  Lewis,  both  of  whom  became  preachers  and 
joined  the  conference.  Up  to  1858  the  same  preachers 
are  named  as  those  who  served  at  Milton  and  other 
nearby  places.  At  a  quarterly  conference  held  at 
Milton  in  1840  it  was  resolved  to  divide  into  three 
parts,  and  Milton,  Marlborough  and  Lattintown  were 
embraced  in  one  circuit.  These  ministers  have  al- 
ready been  given  up  to  1858.  Since  that  time,  the 
following  preachers  have  had  charge  of  the  church: 
In  1858,  Elijah  Shurter;  1859,  Elbert  Osborn;  1860 
and  1861,  L.  W.  Wadsworth,  during  whose  adminis- 
tration the  parsonage  was  built;  1862,  A.  P.  Lyon; 
1863  and  1864,  D.  Gibson;  1865-1867,  X.  B.  Tompsin, 
During  his  administration  the  present  church  was 
built.  He  came  faithful  to  the  call  of  his  conference 
to  the  work  at  Marll)orough,  He  found  two  churches 
and  congregations,  one  at  Marlborough  and  one  at 
Lattintown.  He  became  ambitious  to  build  a  new 
church  and  unite  the  congregations;  the  two  old 
churches  were  sold  and  about  $2,000  was  realized. 
It  was  a  great  undertaking,  but  by  zeal,  perseverance 
and  prayer,  he  succeeded.  The  site  for  the  church 
was  selected  with  much  care  and  was  of  the  best  that 
could  be  obtained,  and  the  present  fine  structure  will 
stand  as  a  monument  in  the  hearts  and  memory  of 


Methodist  Episcopal,  Chuech  at  Lattintown.     403 

generations  yet  to  come.  The  present  clmrch  was 
dedicated  June  6,  1867.  The  dedication  sermon  was 
jjreaclied  by  Bishop  Janes,  and  an  evening  sermon 
by  Eandolph  Foster,  afterward  a  bishop.  A  great 
revival  occurred  during  Tompsin's  pastorate.  In 
1868  and  1869,  G.  H.  Gregory  found  an  indebtedness 
of  $6,000  and  he  entered  earnestly  in  the  work  of 
extinguishing  it.  In  1870  and  1871,  W.  Ostrander; 
1872-1874,  V.  N.  Traver;  1875,  F.  Botone;  1376,  J.  P. 
Hermans;  1877-1879,  A.  M.  Osborn;  1880,  W.  F. 
Brush;  1881-1883,  D.  D.  Gillespie;  1884-1886,  S.  P. 
Galloway;  1887  and  1888,  S.  F.  White;  1889  and  1890, 
J.  W.  Dodge;  1891  and  1892,  J.  Ackerman;  1893,  J.  M. 
Cornish;  1894  and  1895,  G.  C.  H.  Adams;  1896,  R.  S. 
Crawford;  1897-1901,  Gfeorge  E.  Barber;  1901, 
William  N.  Sarles;  1902  and  1903,- Arthur  Thompson; 
1904,  Elmer  E.  Count;  1905  and  1906,  William  Moser; 
1907  and  1908  Edwin  Hunt. 

The  pres-ent  membership  is  three  hundred.  The 
present  trustees  are:  Seymour  Fowler,  C.  R.  Gordon, 
Charles  Warren,  Eugene  Lawson,  David  Mosher,  A. 
H.  Palmer,  E.  B.  Dexter,  W.  S.  Wright,  and  R.  A. 
AYeed.  The  present  stewards  are:  W.  R.  Greiner,  H. 
C.  Cooley,  C.  E.  Westervelt,  C.  A.  Hartshorn,  N.  L. 
Wygant,  R.  A.  Clack,  G.  G.  Fowler,  S.  Haviland,  John 
Lawson,  Jr. 


Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  Lattintown. 
There  were  two  classes  organized  in  1786 — "Lattin- 
town  class,  Lattintown;  Jacob  Dayton  class,  near 
Lattintown."  This  shows  that  there  were  Method- 
ists there  at  an  early  period,  but  only  occasional  meet- 
ings were  held  at  the  houses  of  the  class  leaders  and 
others  and  at  the  schoolhouses,  whenever  preachers 
visited  that  part  of  the  country;  and  afterward,  some 
years  before  the  church  was  built,  they  held  services 


404  History  of  Maklboeough, 

at  the  house  of  John  Shorter,  now  the  Odell  house^ 
and  also  at  the  Baptist  meeting  house.  They  formed 
a  legal  organization  by  a  certificate  bearing  date 
March  3,  1848.  Isaac  E.  Fowler  and  H.  S.  Shorter 
presided  at  the  meeting  for  organization,  and  William 
Mackey,  Thomas  S.  Warren,  Benjamin  Harcourt, 
David  Fowler,  John  D.  Crook,  Isaac  R.  Fowler,  and 
H.  S.  Shorter  were  chosen  trustees.  In  May,  1854, 
John  Shorter  conveyed  to  the  trustees  the  land  upon 
which  the  church  was  built.  About  1870  the  church 
was  taken  down  and  removed  to  Clintondale.  It  never 
had  any  separate  preacher,  but  was  one  of  the  three 
churches  in  the  town  which  was  supplied  by  the  same 
preacher.  Afterward  the  Marlborough  church  took 
charge  of  it. 

There  was  a  circumstance  connected  with  this 
church  that  made  quite  a  sensation.  During  the 
Civil  War  the  patriotic  people  aliout  here  kept  the 
national  flag  flying  from  the  belfry  of  the  church, 
night  and  day.  One  night  some  persons  clandes- 
tinely entered  the  church,  tore  down  the  flag  and 
carried  it  oif.  It  caused  a  great  disturbance,  as  the 
older  people  will  remember,  and  steps  were  taken  to 
find  out  and  punish  the  partici|:>ants.  The  guilty 
parties  were  found  out,  and,  at  the  earnest  solicita- 
tion of  their  friends,  the  matter  was  allowed  to  drop. 

The  bell  of  the  church  was  taken  with  the  church 
to  Clintondale  and  afterward  purchased  by  the  late 
James  H,  Crook  and  presented  by  him  to  the  Milton 
Methodist  church.    It  was  their  first  bell. 


CHAPTEE  XV. 

The  Baptist  Church  Society. 
For  several  years  prior  to  1782  the  pastor  of  the 
Baptist  church  at  the  old  village  of  Fishkill,  situated 
some  miles  back  from  the  river,  performed  mission- 
ary labors  at  different  places  in  Dutchess  and  Ulster 
counties.    In  1782  he  succeeded  in  organizing  a  branch 
of  the  society  in  the  precinct  of  New  Marlborough, 
then  recently  a  part   of  the   precinct  of  Newburgh. 
At  a  regular  meeting  of  this  branch  church,  held  on 
the  24th  day  of  May,  1785,  at  the  house  of  Reuben 
Drake,  (Elder  Philips  presiding),  a  petition  was  pre- 
sented by  Nathan  Ellet  and  William  Purdy  on  behalf 
of  themselves  and  others  that  the  society  be  consti- 
tuted a  separate  church,  and  that  Jonathan  Atherton 
be  ordained  pastor.    The  application  was  granted  and 
the  ordination  as  well  as  the  services  constituting  the 
church  were  held  on  the  27th  day  of  May.    The  mem- 
orandum further  states  that  ' '  Elder  Drake  preached 
the  ordination   sermon,  and  gave  the  charge  to  the 
pastor  and  the  church.     Elder  Philips  gave  Brother 
Atherton  the  hand  and  said  in  the  presence  of  the 
whole  congregation  that  he  owned  him  as  an  elder, 
and  so  Elder  Philips  went  to  prayer;  when  done  they 
sang  a  psalm,  went  out  and  left  us  to  ourselves."    The 
organization  thus   formed  was  called  "  The  Baptist 
Church  of  Pleasant  Valley."    It  will  be  seen  that  this 
was  the  Plattekill  part  of  the  precinct  of  New  Marl- 
borough.   In  1789  a  branch  was  established  at  Lattin- 
town  and  one  at  New  Paltz. 

After  1789  meetings  were  held  at  Lattintown  at 
at  the  schoolhouse  and  at  the  houses  of  Nehemiah  L. 
Smith,  Noah  Woolsey,  Mathew  Benedict  and  others. 
Up   to   1807,   when   steps   were  taken  to   organize   a 

[405] 


406  History  of  Marlborough. 

chiireli  and  build  a  ehureli  edifice.     The  oldest  record 
I  find  is  as  follows : 

Record  of  the  Trustees  of  the  Meeting-Hoiise  Belonging  to- 
tlie  Baptist  Church  of  Latintown,  in  Marlborough 

Laten  Town,  January  25th,  1807. 

Church  met  according  to  appointment  and  elected  Nehemiali 
L.  Smith,  Noah  Woolsey,  and  Matliew  Benedoct  Trustees  of 
said  Church,  to  manage  the  affairs  of  the  meeting-house  in 
Latentown. 

The  society  was  incorporated  by  a  certificate  bear- 
ing date  January  26,  1807.  The  paper  was  signed  by 
the  officers  who  presided  at  the  meeting,  Matthew 
Benedict  and  Richmond  Burwell.  The  trustees  chosen 
were  Nehemiah  L.  Smith,  Noah  Woolsey,  and  Mat- 
thew Benedict.  The  proceedings  were  verified  before 
Judge  Jonathan  Hasbrouck,  and  the  record  attested 
by  Gi-eorge  Tappen,  deputy  clerk.  Noah  Woolsey  re- 
mained a  trustee  continuously  until  his  death  in  1832. 
The  ancient  record  book  of  the  church  remains  in  a 
good  state  of  i)reservation,  and  contains  a  record  of 
all  the  principal  matters  relating  to  the  church  from 
its  organization. 

In  January,  1808,  Thomas  Wygant  and  Elizabeth 
his  wife,  for  the  sum  of  £20,  sold  and  conveyed  to  the 
trustees  of  the  church  one-half  acre  of  land  on  which 
the  meeting-house  stands,  also  the  graveyard. 

The  form  and  shape  of  the  church  has  never  been 
changed.  The  following  is  mainly  from  a  sketch,, 
which  was  comj^iled  mosth^  from  the  church  book: 

At  a  meeting  of  the  church  held  in  the  month  of 
May,  1812,  Deacon  Purser,  who  was  present,  made  the 
church  a  present  of  this  book,  it  being  the  one  in  use 
at  the  present  time  for  keeping  the  records  of  the 
church. 

From  the  records  it  appears  that  the  Pleasant 
Valley  church,  situate  nine  miles  southwest  of  Lattin- 
town,  embraced  members  living  on  both  sides  of  the- 


The  Baptist  Chuech  Society.  407 


Marlborough  mountains.  On  the  6th  of  May,  1812, 
a  meeting  was  appointed  in  Lattintown  for  the  pur- 
pose of  constituting  into  a  separate  church  those 
members  of  the  Pleasant  Valley  church  residing  on 
the  easterly  side  of  the  Marll^orough  mountain. 
Elder  Lebbeus  Lathrop,  being  chosen  to  preside,  stated 
the  object  of  the  meeting  and  the  importance  attached 
to  it.  After  the  case  had  been  presented.  Articles  of 
Faith  were  read  in  the  hearing  of  those  present  desir- 
ing to  be  constituted  into  a  separate  church.  They 
individually  signified  their  assent  and  agreement 
thereto  and  were  formally  constituted  into  a  sepa- 
rate church,  adopting  the  name  of  the  Baptist  Church 
of  Christ  in  Lattintown.  The  right  hand  of  fellow- 
ship was  given  by  Elder  Lathrop  to  twenty-four  mem- 
bers present;  five  were  subsequently  added,  making 
a  total  membership  of  twenty-nine.  A  letter  was 
immediately  prepared  and  sent  to  the  Warwick  Asso- 
ciation, asking  admission,  which  request  being 
granted,  they  became  a  member  of  that  body. 

On  the  23d  of  May  the  church  extended  an  invita- 
tion to  Elder  Hall  to  become  tlieir  pastor,  and  a  re- 
quest to  that  effect  was  sent  to  the  Pleasant  Valley 
church,  of  which  Elder  Hall  was  pastor.  In  June 
following  word  was  received  from  the  Pleasant  Valley 
church  stating  that  their  request  was  granted,  and 
they  might  expect  Elder  Hall.  In  July  following  the 
Pleasant  Valley  church  sent  Brethren  Jones  and 
Edwards  to  the  Lattintown  church  to  inform  them 
that  they  had  revoked  their  decision  respecting  Elder 
Hall,  stating  that  they  could  not  spare  him,  even  for 
half  the  time.  The  church  then  appointed  a  committee 
consisting  of  the  clerk  and  four  members  to  arrange 
supplies  for  the  pulpit;  also,  to  open  correspondence 
with  ministering  brethren  with  a  view  to  settling  a 
pastor.  Their  house  of  worship  had  been  completed 
two   years   before   their   organization   as   a   separate 


408  History  of  Marlborough. 

church,  and  in  June,  1810,  the  Warwick  Association 
held  its  annual  meeting  at  Lattintown,  when,  the 
record  states,  an  abundant  provision  was  made  for 
all  the  delegates  who  attended. 

In  September,  1812,  Aaron  Perkins,  a  young  man 
desirous  of  serving  his  Master  l)y  preaching  the 
gospel,  visited  the  church.  After  hearing  him  preach, 
and  becoming  acquainted  with  him,  the  church  invited 
him  to  settle  with  them.  He  accepted  the  invitation 
and  in  November,  1812,  commenced  his  labors  among 
them  at  an  annual  salary  of  $200,  with  a  positive 
understanding  that  if  either  party  wished  to  rescind 
the  contract,  that  six  months'  notice  should  be  given 
to    the  other  party. 

In  June,  1813,  Elder  Perkins  was  ordained.  The 
church  was  united  under  his  guidance ;  he  was  ardent 
and  faithful,  the  congregation  large  and  attentive, 
and  Lattintown  enjoyed  years  of  happiness,  useful- 
ness and  prosperity.  Old  people  used  to  speak  of 
the  time  when  Elder  Perkins  preached  in  Lattintown, 
when  the  meeting-house  with  its  capacious  gallery 
proved  too  small  to  acconmiodate  the  congregation,  and 
those  who  arrived  late  drove  up  to  the  church  and 
remained  in  their  wagons  at  the  windows  and  door. 
Elder  Perkins  remained  with  them  as  their  pastor 
twelve  years,  during  which  time  he  baptized  160  mem- 
bers. In  1820  an  extensive  revival  took  place,  when 
the  records  show  64  as  being  baptized.  The  largest 
membership  during  Elder  Perkins'  pastorate  was 
128.  In  the  year  1821  Elder  Perkins'  salary  was 
raised  to  $250  per  annum,  as  a  reward  for  his  services 
and  a  token  of  the  respect  and  confidence  of  the 
church.  In  November,  1824,  he  received  a  call  from 
the  Berwick  Baptist  Church  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
which  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  accept.  After  giving  the 
Lattintown  church  the  stipulated  six  months'  notice  of 
Ills  intentions,  and  remaining  the  ensuing  six  months 


The  Baptist  Church  Society.  409 

to  fulfill  liis  contract  with  the  church,  he  resigned  his 
charge  and  took  leave  of  them.  After  Elder  Perkins 
left  the  church  was  supplied  in  part  by  Daniel  Hill, 
who  had  been  licensed  by  the  church  to  preach.  Dur- 
ing the  fall  of  1826,  Elder  Draper  had  been  introduced 
to  them,  and  after  having  preached  to  the  church  with 
satisfaction,  was  called  to  preach  for  them  half  the 
time,  for  which  service  they  agreed  to  pay  him  $75 
l^er  annum,  and  move  his  family  gratis  from  the  AVest. 
His  term  of  service  commenced  on  the  1st  of  May, 
1827.  A  resolution  was  adopted  by  the  church  that 
eaeh  meinl>er  shall  pay  twenty-five  cents  per  quarter 
for  the  support  of  the  gospel  among  us.  Brother 
Conklin  was  appointed  receiver  to  collect  and  pay 
over  the  same  to  Elder  Draper.  On  the  19th  of  Janu- 
ary, 1827,  the  church  passed  a  resolution  that  it  was 
improper  to  take  public  collections  on  the  Lord's 
day. 

During  the  history  of  the  church  thus  far  the  cove- 
nant and  business  meetings  were  regularly  attended 
on  the  third  Saturday  of  each  month  in  the  afternoon, 
when  the  necessary  business  of  the  church  was  at- 
tended to,  after  which  there  was  a  free  conference 
among  the  members  present  respecting  their  progress 
in  the  divine  life.  The  meetings  invariably  commenced 
and  closed  by  singing  and  prayer. 

The  records  state  that  in  April,  1827,  the  church 
met  to  inquire  into  the  reason  why  our  Association 
neglects  and  even  discards  the  old  practice  of  ordain- 
ing deacons,  and  they  by  resolution  bound  themselves 
to  practice  as  the  Association  may  direct.  The  church 
enjoyed  good  peace  and  some  good  degree  of  pros- 
perity under  the  ministry  of  Elder  Draper.  Some 
were  added  each  year  to  the  church,  of  such  as  felt 
constrained  to  come  out  from  the  world  and  be  a 
separate  people. 

In  September,  1831,  Elder  Draper  requested  a  letter 


410  History  of  Marlborough. 

of  commendation,  which  was  granted  and  the  church 
was  left  without  a  pastor.  Again  the  church,  as  usual 
on  such  occasions,  appointed  a  committee  to  wait  on 
Elder  Perkins  and  obtain  his  views,  and  get  him  to 
recommend  a  sui)ply,  with  a  view  to  settling  another 
pastor.  Until  July  following  the  church  was  sup- 
plied by  Brethren  Bishop  and  Duxbury,  when  the 
church  received  a  letter  from  Elder  Archibald  Mc- 
Clay  of  Kingston,  recommending  Brother  Hadow, 
recently  from  Scotland,  to  preach  for  them.  After  a 
month's  trial,  he  was  invited  to  settle  as  their  pastor. 
In  September,  1832,  a  council  was  called  to  assemble 
at  the  meeting-house  on  the  10th  of  October  to  ordaiti 
him;  also  at  the  same  time  and  place  to  ordain  their 
deacons.  The  council  consisted  of  Elder  McClay  of 
Mulberry  street  church.  New  York,  Elder  Perkins, 
and  Brethren  Roper  and  Briggs  of  Poughkeepsie, 
Elder  Barlow  of  Poughkeepsie,  and  Davis  from  Ire- 
land, After  his  ordination  he  continued  as  their 
pastor  until  January  19,  1833,  when  the  church  in- 
formed him  that  in  the  succeeding  spring  they  should 
make  an  effort  to  obtain  Elder  Perkins  as  their  pastor, 
and  that  he  might  seek  some  other  field  of  labor. 
Brother  Hadow  left  the  church  in  May  and  in  the 
meantime  Elder  Perkins  had  been  written  to  and  in- 
vited to  again  become  their  pastor,  which  he  de- 
clined, and  again  they  were  left  destitute. 

In  June  following,  John  Alison  —  who  had  been  a 
prominent  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  at 
Marlborough,  and  also  a  student  for  the  ministry  — 
applied  for  baptism  and  admission  to  the  Lattintown 
church.  He  was  received  and  also  obtained  a  license 
from  the  church  to  preach.  After  satisfying  the 
church  respecting  his  call  to  the  ministry  and  Ms 
ability  to  preach,  a  council  was  called  to  ordain  bim. 
The  council  consisted  of  Brother  Barlow  of  Kingston, 
Brothers   Warren   and   Ballard   of   Carmel,    Brother 


The  Baptist  Chuech  Society.  411 

Burns  of  Fislikill,  Brothers  Covert,  Cosman,  Mitchell, 
Maxim,  and  Band  of  Lattintown.  On  the  24tli  of  Sep- 
tember, 1833,  after  a  long  and  satisfactory  examina- 
tion respecting  his  call  to  the  ministry  and  doctrinal 
views,  he  was  ordained.  During  the  next  few  months 
he  preached  for  the  church  with  great  acceptance.  In 
the  spring  of  1834  Brother  Alison  resigned,  after 
which  a  letter  was  sent  to  Elder  Perkins,  inviting 
him  to  settle  with  them  again  as  their  pastor.  Elder 
Perkins  writes  in  reply  that  he  must  decline,  and  also 
that  the  church  owes  him  $50.16  for  services  rendered 
ten  years  since;  a  collection  was  taken  and  the  debt 
discharged.  On  the  20tli  of  December,  1834,  the 
Newburgh  church,  situated  ten  miles  south  of  Lattin- 
town, was  constituted.  The  Lattintown  church  being 
in  a  country  place,  and  its  members  scattered  about 
the  country,  many  of  them  residing  nearer  Newburgh 
than  Lattintown,  several  such,  and  among  them  some 
of  the  officers  and  more  prominent  members,  took 
letters  and  joined  the  Newburgh  church,  which  greatly 
reduced  the  Lattintown  church  in  means,  strength  and 
numbers.  In  the  spring  of  1835  Elder  Powell  di- 
rected to  them  Elder  Jeremy  H.  Dwyer,  and  after 
liearing  him  preach,  in  June,  1835,  the  church  extended 
him  a  call  to  become  their  pastor,  which  li-e  accepted. 
During  this  year  several  more  members  took  letters 
to  join  the  Newburgh  and  Pleasant  Valley  churches, 
which  still  further  reduced  the  Lattintown  church. 
In  the  month  of  August  it  was  resolved  to  hold  a  pro- 
tracted meeting  and  Elder  Powell  was  invited  to  come 
and  assist  Brother  Dwyer  in  conducting  the  meeting. 
A  committee  consisting  of  Brothers  D.  Cosman  and 
N.  Merritt  was  appointed  to  wait  on  the  innkeeper, 
to  request  him  to  desist  from  selling  liquor  during 
the  continuance  of  the  meeting.  He  cheerfully  com- 
plied with  the  request  and  on  the  20tli  of  August,  the 
meeting  commenced.    It  was  a  busy  season  of  the  year 


412  History  of  Marlborough. 

for  farmers,  the  attendance  was  small,  and  the  pros- 
pect gloomy  and  disheartening.  The  chnrcli  humbled 
themselves  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  after  earnestly 
beseeching  God  to  vouchsafe  his  blessing,  they 
solemly  ordained  their  deacons,  and  concluded,  not- 
withstanding the  discouraging  circumstances,  to  pro- 
ceed with  their  meeting  —  to  labor  and  pray  earn- 
estly —  and  leave  the  result  with  God.  A  glorious 
harvest  of  souls  was  the  result,  in  which  surrounding 
churches  also  largely  participated.  On  the  2d  of  Sep- 
tember, 1835,  thirty-three  willing  converts  repaired 
to  the  Hudson  and  there,  in  the  presence  of  many 
hundreds,  perhaps  thousands  of  spectators,  they  were 
buried  by  baptism  in  the  placid  waters.  Soon  after 
the  close  of  the  protracted  meeting  Elder  Dwyer 
tendered  his  resignation,  which  was  accepted  by  the 
church,  and  again  Elder  Perkins  was  appealed  to 
to  furnish  them  with  a  pastor.  In  February,  1836, 
Brother  Samuel  Barrett  was  directed  to  them.  The 
church  gave  him  a  call,  which  he  accepted.  He  was 
young,  ardent,  intelligent  and  pious,  and  under  his 
watchful  care  the  church  steadily  grew  in  grace  and 
strength.  They  were  united,  useful  and  happy.  Near 
the  close  of  his  ministry  with  the  church,  a  large 
number  of  members  took  letters  and  moved  west, 
where  the}^  formed  a  new  church  which  eventually 
became  a  flourishing  society.  In  April,  1839,  Brother 
Barrett  preached  his  farewell  sermon  and  went  to 
Port  Jervis.  After  Brother  Barrett  left.  Brother 
Davis  preached  for  them  until  1841.  The  church  at 
this  time  was  in  a  low  state,  very  few  attending  the 
house  of  worship.  In  1844,  Brother  David  Morris 
was  invited  to  preach  for  them  half  the  time.  He 
divided  his  time  between  them  and  the  Hyde  Park 
church.  In  1846,  Brother  S.  Barrett  was  again  in- 
vited to  ])reach  for  thein.  He  accepted  the  call,  and 
again  became  their  pastor.     The  records  state  that  he 


The  Baptist  Church  Society.  413 

l^reaclied  on  the  5tli  of  April,  1846,  to  a  crowded  house, 
and  all  were  happy  to  hear  him  again  speaking  forth 
the  words  of  life  from  the  sacred  desk  at  Lattintown. 
The  two  intervening  years  the  church  steadily  grew 
and  prospered.  In  April,  1848,  Brother  Barrett  re- 
signed, to  take  charge  of  the  church  at  Middletown, 
Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  where  he  spent  his  remaining 
days.  In  May  following  Brother  J.  Q.  Adams  com- 
menced laboring  with  them,  while  at  the  same  time 
prosecuting  his  studies  in  order  to  prepare  himself 
more  fully  for  the  gospel  ministry.  After  he  left,  in 
February,  1849,  a  letter  was  sent  to  Eev.  J.  I.  Grimly, 
who  came  and  preached  for  them,  and  in  March  was 
engaged  as  their  pastor.  On  the  15tli  of  August  a 
council  was  called  consisting  of  N.  Reed  of  Franklin- 
dale,  J.  Warren  of  Fishkill,  Scott  of  Newburgh,  Bene- 
dict of  Rosendale,  Adams  of  New  Jersey,  Brothers 
Gerow  and  Mitchell  of  Newburgh,  and  Deacon  Staples 
of  Lattintown,  to  sit  in  council  and  aid  in  ordain- 
ing Brother  Grimly.  After  his  ordination  he  preached 
acceptably  and  profitalily  to  the  church  until  Sep- 
tember, 1850,  when  he  resigned  and  went  to  Unioii- 
ville.  During  the  thirteen  years  up  to  August,  1863, 
the  church  became  very  much  reduced  by  deaths  and 
removals.  Brother  Cole  preached  ])art  of  this  time, 
and  occasionally  other  pastors  supplied  the  pulpit. 
In  1863  a  building  committee  was  appointed  consist- 
ing of  D.  W.  Woolsey,  Deacon  G.  B.  Morgan  and  David 
Oosman,  who  raised  by  subscription  a  sufficient 
amount  to  repair  the  church  and  put  it  in  good  order. 
Joseph  I.  Grimly  was  installed  as  pastor  of  the 
church  and  did  good  service  for  several  years,  but  for 
the  last  ten  years  or  more  there  has  been  but  occa- 
sional preaching  in  the  church. 

The  old  church  building  is  as  strong  and  substan- 
tial as  ever,  and  with  little  repairing  it  could  be  made 
serviceable.     It  is  hoped  that  some   society  will   or- 


414  History  of  Marlborough. 


gaiiize  a  cliureli  there,  as  so  large  and  so  populous  a 
eommunity  as  now  reside  al)out  Lattintown  corners 
should  have  some  place  to  worship  near  at  home. 
The  traditions  of  the  past  should  incite  the  community 
to  stand  by  the  old  church.  It  could  be  used  for  a 
hall  or  lecture-room  on  aJl  public  occasions.  Around 
the  old  church  cluster  many  sacred  memories ;  the  an- 
cestors of  the  present  generations  worshiped  there, 
and  are  buried  in  the  churchyard.  Their  names  are 
the  representatives  names  in  their  day  in  the  town 
and  the  names  of  their  children  and  grandchildren 
who  reside  all  about  in  the  community. 


Catholics  and  Catholic  Churches. 

About  the  year  1850  many  Irish  Catholics  began  to 
arrive  in  the  town,  and  there  was  no  regular  place  of 
worship  for  them.  They  were  from  parishes  in  Ire- 
land where  places  of  worship  in  their  faith  were 
plenty,  and  where  it  was  the  custom  for  all  good 
Catholics  to  regularly  attend  church,  thus  they  felt  a 
great  loss  upon  their  arrival  in  a  land  among  strang- 
ers without  the  blessings  of  their  mother  church.  The 
nearest  church  was  close  to  Wappingers  Falls,  at  a 
place  called  "The  Hollow,"  and  the  church  was 
known  by  the  name  of  "  The  Hollow  Church."  There 
was  at  the  time  a  horse-boat  at  Milton  which  afforded 
ready  means  of  crossing  the  river,  and  the  people  for 
miles  about  used  this  means  of  getting  to  church,  and 
they  also  used  the  ferry  to  go  to  Poughkeepsie  —  some 
attending  both  churches,  and  a  few  in  the  lower  part 
of  the  town  went  to  Newburgh.  Their  dead  were  in- 
terred chiefly  at  the  Poughkeepsie  cemetery.  This 
continued  until  about  1865,  when  both  Milton  and 
Marlborough  became  missions  —  Milton  of  the  Eosen- 


Catholics  and  Catholic  Churches.  415 

dale  church,  and  Marlborough  of  the  Port  Eweii 
church. 

Milton  was  first  supplied  by  Father  0 'Toole  and 
then  by  Father  Patrick  Brady,  both  from  the  Rosen- 
dale  church.  They  celebrated  mass  every  two  or  three 
weeks,  services  being  held  in  the  old  village  hall  and 
in  Marlborough  at  different  places  until  1867,  when  the 
Rev.  Michael  Phelen,  pastor  at  Port  Ewen,  purchased 
the  old  Methodist  meeting-house  at  Marlborough.  He 
officiated  there  most  of  the  time  until  Father  Mee 
came  to  Milton.  The  first  pastor  either  church  had 
was  in  1874,  when  the  Rev.  James  Francis  Mee  was 
appointed  pastor  of  the  Milton  parish  by  the  then 
Archbishop  of  New  York,  Most  Reverend  John  Mc- 
Closkey  (afterward  Cardinal).  He  was  the  first  resi- 
dent pastor  of  Milton.  There  was  no  Catholic  church 
then,  but  a  house  for  a  parochial  residence  had  al- 
ready been  secured  by  the  parishoners.  Upon  his 
arrival-  Father  Mee  immediately  took  up  the  work  of 
securing  funds  to  build  a  church,  and  with  such  suc- 
cess that  during  the  early  part  of  1876  he  completed 
the  present  church,  and  afterward  made  some  im- 
provements and  additions  to  it.  It  was  dedicated  by 
Archbishop  McCloskey  the  following  year,  on  the 
occasion  of  his  administering  the  Sacrament  of  Con- 
firmation there.  It  was  a  great  day  with  the  people 
here,  and  many  Protestants  were  present  at  the  ser- 
vice. Father  Mee  officiated  at  the  Milton  parish, 
Marlborough  mission  and  Ireland  Corners  mission. 
He  repaired  and  put  on  an  addition  at  the  Marl- 
borough church;  and  the  building  at  Ireland  Corners, 
which  had  been  a  barn,  he  remodeled  into  a  church. 

About  1882  he  purchased  the  extensive  grounds  for 
the  Catholic  cemetery  at  Lattintown.  which  was  duly 
consecrated.  It  has  been  a  source  of  great  benefit  to 
both  churches  and  saved  great  trouble  and  expense, 
as  interments  had  been  made  previously  at  the  ceme- 


416  History  of  Marlborough, 

tery  back  of  Poiigkkeepsie.  The  land  is  all  that  could 
be  desired  and  is  in  general  use  by  both  churches,  and 
contains  numerous  costly  monuments.  Until  the  year 
1886,  Father  Mee  ministered  faithfully  to  the  three 
churches;  in  that  year  he  was  transferred  by  the  late 
Arclil)ishop  Corrigan  to  Rye.  Westchester  county, 
where  he  erected  the  present  church.  After  three 
years,  upon  his  request,  he  was  transferred  to  his 
present  pastorate  at  St.  Mary  s  church.  Rosebank, 
Staten  Island. 

The  truth  is  no  praise  or  flattery.  AVlien  Father 
Mee  came  here  the  parsonage  was  in  debt,  there  was 
no  money  to  build  a  church  at  Milton  and  no  money 
to  repair  Marlborough  church.  He  went  zealously  to 
work  to  secure  funds,  and  his  people  responded  to  his 
endeavors  and  gave  liberally  of  their  means.  In  this 
work  he  was  generously  assisted  by  many  who  were 
not  members  of  his  church.  He  was  so  earnest,  un- 
selfish and  unobtrusive,  that  everyone  felt  kindly 
toward  him  and  helped  him.  His  twelve  years  of 
pastorate  resulted  in  great  prosperity  to  both 
churches.  Money  came  freely  and  large  numbers 
joined  the  churches."  The  parsonage  was  paid  for, 
the  Milton  church  built  and  paid  for,  the  Marlborough 
church  enlarged  and  improved,  and  the  cemetery  paid 
for.  There  were  no  debts  when  he  left,  which  was  a 
source  of  great  satisfaction  to  him,  as  he  often  said 
he  wished  that  all  debts  might  be  cleared  before  he 
would  be  transferred  to  another  parish.  Debts  were 
paid  before  they  were  due,  many  of  the  comforts  of 
life  being  relincpiished  to  accomplish  that  end.  S-elf- 
denial,  earnestness,  and  zeal  were  shown  in  the  cause. 
What  can  be  said  more?  He  came  to  the  churches  in 
their  poverty  and  departed  in  their  prosperity. 

An  eminent  prelate  has  said,  ''  The  pioneer  who  did 
the  burden  of  the  work  and  had  the  greatest  slavery 
wath  fewest  people  and  little  means  was  Father  Mee." 


Catholics  and  Catholic  Churches.  417 


It  may  interest  the  numerous  friends  of  Father  Mee 
to  know  of  the  great  work  carried  on  by  liim  at  Rose- 
bank.  By  the  church  report  of  December  31,  1907,  it 
is  shown  that  the  receipts  were  $12,696,  expenditures 
$11,560,  showing  a  balance  on  hand,  January  1,  1908, 
of  $1,136.  The  church,  rectory,  schools,  etc.,  are  in- 
sured for  $60,000.  The  congregation  assists  in  the 
support  of  a  seminary,  supports  its  own  schools,  has 
a  cemetery,  and  helps  various  causes.  The  priest  has 
helped  materially  to  accomplish  this  and  is  worthy 
of  it. 

Ireland  Corners  was  made  a  parish  and  Father 
Hoey,  its  pastor,  built  a  church  at  New  Paltz.  He 
then  came  to  Milton  and  finished  the  church  at  Rose- 
ton  which  had  been  commenced.  He  remained  at  St. 
James'  church,  Milton,  from  April,  1888,  to  Augaist, 
1894.  He  had  the  St.  Mary's  church,  Marlborough, 
and  the  Roseton  church  in  charge.  His  assistants 
were  the  Revs.  T.  J.  Mackey,  J.  P.  Douohue,  M.  J. 
Mulhall,  J.  P.  Lennon  and  W.  J.  Donohue. 

The  next  pastor  w^as  Rev.  William  P.  Kenney,  who 
served  from  October,  1894,  to  February,  1896,  with 
Rev.  Tliomas  B.  Kelly  as  assistant.  Rev.  Edward 
J.  Kenney  was  pastor  from  May  4,  1896,  to  January, 
1900,  his  assistant  being  Rev.  Edward  P.  Murphy. 
In  1900  he  became  pastor  of  St.  Mary's  church. with 
the  mission  at  Roseton  and  is  such  at  the  present 
time.  Rev.  James  A.  Dooley  has  been  resident  pastor 
at  St.  James'  church  and  the  mission  at  Highland 
from  1900  to  the  present  time. 

The  church  of  St.  Mary's,  Marlborough,  was  legally 
incorporated  January  3,  1900,  with  Rev.  E.  J.  A. 
Kenney  as  pastor,  he  being  the  present  pastor.  The 
incorporators  as  a  board  of  trustees  were  Most  Rev. 
Michael  A.  Corrigan,  Archbishop;  Right  Rev.  Bishop 
John  M.  Farley,  Vicar  General ;  Rev.  E.  J.  A.  Kenney, 

14 


418  History  of  Marlboeougii, 

pastor;  and  Thomas  O'Connor  and  James  N.  Wyms 
as  lay  trustees.  There  have  been  changes  since.  The 
Vicar  General  on  the  death  of  Archbishop  Corrigan 
taking  the  first  place  as  Archbishop  John  M.  Farley, 
and  his  place  as  Vicar  General  is  filled  by  Right  Eev. 
Joseph  F.  Mooney.  The  Archbishop  is  president 
of  the  board,  the  Vicar  General,  vice-president,  and 
the  pastor  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  membership 
of  the  Marlborough  church  is  350.  Marlborough 
church  has  the  mission  of  Our  Lady  of  Mercy  at  Rose- 
ton  with  a  membership  of  150.  Although  the  church 
at  Marlborough  began  its  legal  existence  as  a  church 
corporation  in  the  year  1900,  it  was  a  regularly  or- 
ganized church  body  for  a  long  time  —  as  far  back 
as  the  establislunent  of  the  Milton  parish.  It  had  its 
regular  board  of  trustees,  but  the  form  of  legal  incor- 
poration was  not  used.  The  church  at  Roseton  was 
legally  incorporated  at  the  time  of  its  formation  In 
tlie  year  1888.  The  church  of  St.  Augustine,  High- 
land, was  formed  from  Milton  parish,  and  was  legally 
incorporated  September  21,  1899. 

The  Rev.  E.  J.  A.  Kenney,  while  pastor  at  Milton, 
built  the  Highland  church.  In  January,  1900,  the  large 
and  excellent  parsonage  and  grounds,  through  the  in- 
strumentality of  Father  Kenney,  was  purchased  for 
the  benefit  of  St.  Mary's  church,  since  which  time 
numerous  and  costly  improvements  have  been  add-ed 
to  the  parsonage;'  it  is  a  pride  to  the  village,  and 
almost  an  equal  to  any  parsonage  and  grounds  in  the 
county.  The  membership  of  the  Milton  church  is 
about  400.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  speak  of  the  good 
work  being  done  by  the  present  pastors  of  these 
churches.  It  speaks  for  itself  and  is  known  of  all 
men.  They  have  done  several  years  of  good  and 
faithful  work  in  the  town,  and  it  is  hoped  that  they 
mav  continue  here  for  many  vears. 


The  Episcopal  Church.  419 


The  Episcopal  Church. 

Christ   eliurcli,   Marlborough,   was   the   third   Epis- 
copal church  orgauized  in  the  county. 

In  1836  the  village  of  Marlborough  contained  be- 
tween 400  and  500  inhabitants,  most  all  of  whom  were 
descendants  of  the  English  families  who  had  moved 
there  from  Westchester  county  and  Long  Island ;  and 
many  of  them  were  members  of  the  Presbyterian, 
Methodist  and  Baptist  churches.  The  Episcopalians 
up  to  that  time  were  so  few  that  they  made  no  at- 
tempt to  organize  a  church.  The  Rev.  Robert  Shaw, 
rector  of  St.  xlndrew's  church,  Orange  county,  at  the 
request  of  Gilbert  0.  Fowler  of  Newburgh,  visited 
Marlborough,  and  remaining  several  days  made  the 
acquaintance  of  numerous  people  and  informed  him- 
self of  their  condition.  Several  families  living  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Middlehope,  members  of  St. 
George's  church,  Newburgh,  became  interested,  and 
offered  to  contribute  to  sustain  a  mission  church  at 
Marlborough,  and  services  were  held  in  the  school 
house  of  Sunday,  the  12th  day  of  February,  1837. 
Edward  Armstrong,  John  Buckley,  Gabriel  Merritt, 
Leonard  S.  Carpenter  and  others  attended  this  ser- 
vice. It  was  then  decided  to  organize  a  church  in 
the  village;  permission  was  obtaind  to  occupy  th-e 
Methodist  meeting-house  and  public  notice  was  given 
that  there  would  be  services  on  Sunday  mornings  the 
19th  and  26th  of  February  at  that  place,  according 
to  tire  forms  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  church,  and 
all  were  invited  to  attend  to  assist  in  organizing  a 
church.  At  the  time  appointed  Mr.  Shaw  found  a 
large  congregation,  almost  all  of  whom  had  never 
visited  an  Episcopal  church.  The  sermon  was  suit- 
able to  the  occasion  and  very  interesting.  The  male 
members  of  the  congregation  met  in  the  village  at 
Miles  J.  Fletcher's  house  and  elected  Edward  Arm- 
strong and  Miles  J.  Fletcher  Wardens,  and  Thomas 


420  History  of  Maelboeough. 

Fyfe,  Dennis  H.  Doyle,  Leonard  S.  Carj^enter,  David 
E.  Fowler,  Andrew  Oddy,  Joseph  Hepwortli,  Richard 
R.  Fowler,  and  William  Cushion  Vestrymen,  and  they 
chose  the  Rev.  Rohert  Shaw  rector  of  the  parish — 
the  church  to  be  known  as  Christ  Church,  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Marlborough,  The  church  was  duly  admitted 
into  church  fellowship  September  26,  1837,  and  Bishop 
Onderdonk  visited  the  parish  the  following  spring. 
During  the  summer,  services  were  held  in  the  school- 
house  at  Hampton;  in  the  fall  and  winter,  in  the 
Methodist  meeting-house,  Dennis  H.  Doyle  donated 
an  acre  of  ground  in  the  south  part  of  the  village,  on 
which  a  wooden  building  24  feet  front,  48  feet  deep, 
with  tower  and  belfry  in  the  western  end,  was  built. 
It  had  a  seating  capacity  of  al)out  150,  and  cost  with 
the  organ  and  bell  $2,500,  The  church  was  con- 
secrated by  Bishop  Onderdonk  September  10,  1839, 
At  the  close  of  the  year  Rev,  Mr,  Shaw  resigned  and 
went  to  Fishkill,  The  services  were  continued  by  the 
Rev,  George  B.  Andrews  and  William  Walsh,  and 
the  following  summer  Rev.  George  W.  Fash  was 
chosen  rector.  He  entered  on  his  duties  in  July, 
1840;  he  organized  a  Sunday  school  and  gave  his 
entire  time  to  the  duties  of  the  parish.  Rev.  Mr, 
Fash  resigned  in  July,  1843,  Services  were  con- 
tinued by  the  neighboring  clerg}^  until  the  spring  of 
1844,  when  Rev,  Samuel  Hawksley  became  the  rector. 
He  was  born  in  England,  and  came  to  this  country 
when  a  child.  Friends  afterward  sent  him  to  Trin- 
ity College,  Hartford,  from  which  he  graduated  in 
1839,  He  then  entered  a  theological  seminary.  His 
sight  becoming  affected,  he  became  a  tutor  to  the 
son  of  Mrs,  Armstrong,  and  also  a  lay  reader  in  the 
church.  In  1845  he  was  ordained  deacon  in  Christ 
Church,  Hartford,  and  then  came  to  Marlborough, 
After  two  years  of  incessant  labor,  holding  services 
in  different  places,  and  by  his  kind  and  s^ani^athizing 


The  Episcopal,  Chuech.  421 

disposition,  he  gained  the  confidence  and  esteem  of 
all,  and  gathered  together  a  fair-sized  congregation. 
On  May  2,  1847,  he  was  promoted  to  priest's  orders 
at  St.  George's  Church,  Newburgh,  and  became  rector 
of  the  parish.  His  missionary  labors  were  extended 
to  Milton,  Lloyd,  Stone  Ridge  and  Ellenville,  gener- 
ally jonrneying  on  foot  from  place  to  place.  In  1850 
he  organized  the  church  at  Milton;  in  1853,  the  church 
at  Ellenville.  He  also  had  charge  of  the  Stone  Ridge 
church,  preaching  at  each  one  a  Sunday  of  each  month, 
and  providing  lay  readers  on  the  other  Sundays.  His 
incessant  labors  impaired  his  health  to  such  an  extent 
that  he  was  unable  to  continue  liis  duties.  He  tried 
relaxation  and  rest,  but  his  zeal  in  the  cause  became 
so  great  that  he  resumed  his  duties  before  he  was. 
able.  He  died  on  Sunday  morning,  September  2.^ 
1855.     The  monument  marking  his  grave  reads :        , 

Eev.   Samuel  Ha\vksle_y,   Presbyter,  "'^ 

;  Eector  of  Christ  church,  Marlborough, 

departed  this  life  Sept.  2d,  1855,  aged  -il  years. 
"  Even  so  saith  the  spirit,  for  they  rest  from  tlieir  labors." 

The  older  people  of  the  town  well  rem-ember  him, 
not  only  as  traveling  on  foot  Sunday  after  Sunday 
from  one  charge  to  another,  but  as  passing  from  house 
to  house,  calling  upon  people  of  all  denominations, 
making  a  pleasant  and  friendly  call  with  all,  saying 
kind  words,  giving  friendly  instruction  and  advice, 
and  leaving  pleasant  memories  and  remembrance  in 
the  homes  of  all.  I  think  all  will  remember  him  as 
a  zealous  worker  in  the  cause,  and  a  true,  consistent 
and  faithful  minister.  I  well  remember  his  pleasant 
calls  at  my  father's  house,  and  how  all  the  family 
liked  him. 

Samuel  M.  Akerly  officiated  as  lay  reader.  Rev. 
James  C.  Richmond  acted  as  pastor  for  a  few  months; 
later  the  services  were  resumed  by  Mr.  Akerly,  who 
was  frecprently  assisted  by  Rev.  George  B.  Andrews. 


422  History  of  Marlborough. 

On  Christmas  day,  1857,  the  Eev.  William  Walsh, 
of  Newburgh,  officiated  and  administered  Holy  Com- 
munion to  a  larg-'e  numl)er.  The  day  being  very  cold 
and  windy,  larger  fires  than  usnal  were  made  and  were 
carefully  secured  at  the  close  of  the  service.  About 
6  o'clock  on  Sunday  morning,  the  27th,  flames  were 
discovered  bursting  out  of  the  windows  and  roof. 
Before  assistance  could  be  obtained  the  church  was 
totally  destroyed.     It  was  insured  for  $1,800. 

The  present  structure  was  erected  on  the  same  site, 
being  completed  in  1858.  It  is  of  gothic  architecture, 
built  of  brick  with  brown  st^one  trimmings  and  slate 
roof.  It  is  twenty-nine  feet  front  by  fifty-two  feet 
deep,  with  a  chancel  of  eighteen  feet,  and  was  conse- 
crated by  Bishop  Horatio  Potter.  The  entire  cost  of 
the  church  was  about  $7,000  and  is  now  free  from  debt. 
Samuel  M.  Akerly  was  achnitted  to  deacon's  orders, 
and  in  1861,  to  priest's  orders,  and  unanimously 
chosen  rector  of  the  parish.  In  December  1861,  Mrs. 
Hester  Doyle  gave  a  lot  of  half  an  acre  adjoining  the 
church,  on  which  a  parsonage  was  built,  28x40  feet, 
two  stories  high ;  it  cost  about  $3,000. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  1870,  John  Buckley,  the  senior 
warden,  died  in  the  85tli  year  of  his  age.  He  had 
taken  a  warm  interest  in  the  church  from  its  organi- 
zation, contrilmting  liberally  toward  erecting  the 
present  clmrcli  and  parsonage  and  served  as  warden 
and  vestryman  for  over  thirty  years. 

At  a  vestry  meeting  held  in  May,  1875,  Mr.  Akerly 
sent  in  his  resignation.  His  services  in  the  parish 
commenced  even  before  the  death  of  Rev.  Hawksley, 
for  whom  he  frequently  read  the  service,  and  from 
that  time  to  his  resignation,  he  had  faithfully  served 
the  church  as  lay  reader,  deacon  and  priest,  for  nine- 
teen years,  leaving  the  church  free  from  all  pecuniary 
obligations.      The    resignation   was    accepted   with   a 


The  Episcopai.  Church.  423 

vote  of  tliauks  for  his  faithful  ministration.  He  was 
followed  by  Rev.  George  Waters  of  Kingston.  A 
vestry  meeting  held  the  l-tth  of  October,  1876,  unani- 
mously elected  the  Rev.  John  W.  Buckmaster,  of 
Elizabethtown,  N.  J.,  rector  of  the  parish.  He  entered 
on  his  duties  in  November,  1876,  and  served  continu- 
ously about  16  years.  The  officers  at  that  time  were 
James  Carpenter  and  Edward  Jackson,  wardens; 
C.  I\r.  Purdy,  Daniel  Barns,  W.  H.  DuBois,  John  Buck- 
ley, William  H.  Armstrong,  ]\Iarcus  D.  Kelly,  Joseph 
A.  Hepworth,  J.  S.  Knapp,  vestrymen.  On  the  15th 
of  September,  1892,  Rev.  Mr.  Buckmaster  resigned  his 
rectorship.  A  man  of  dignity,  decision  of  character, 
g^entlemanly  deportment,  and  zealous  in  his  calling, 
when  he  retired  he  left  many  friends  behind  him ;  and 
many  regrets  were  expressed  not  only  by  his  church 
people,  but  l)y  the  entire  community,  upon  his  de- 
parture. 

xlfter  an  interim  of  some  eight  or  nine  months  the 
Rev.  Hugh  P.  Hobson  was  chosen  and  called  to  the 
rectorship,  serving  the  parish  five  and  one-half  years, 
and  resigning  January  1,  1899,  to  take  charge  of  St. 
Luke's  Church,  Matteawan.  His  successor,  the  Rev. 
Charles  A.  Tibbals,  was  elected  early  the  same  year 
and  entered  on  his  rectorship  February  1st.  He  re- 
mained a  few  years  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Harold 
Morse  in  November,  li;X)3,  who  was  succeeded  in 
December,  1906  by  the  present  incumbent,  Rev.  Harvey 
Trickett.  The  work  of  last  few  incumbents  is  still 
fresh  in  the  memory  of  the  parish  and  need  not  be 
specially  characterized  here. 

During  the  rectorsliip  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Akerly  the 
new  church  was  built,  also  the  commodious  and  hand- 
some rectory,  and  both  paid  for.  Nineteen  years  did 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Akerly  minister  to  this  parish  and  Mil- 
ton, endearing  himself  not  only  to  his  own  parish- 
ioners, but  to  the  entire  communitv  bv  his  good  will 


424  History  of  Marlborough, 

and  kindness  to  all  the  people.  He  continued  to 
render  many  services  to  the  parish  after  his  retire- 
ment and  was  always  a  friend  and  helper  while  he 
lived.  His  death  about  eight  years  ago  was  felt  as 
a  real  loss  to  the  parish  of  his  love,  as  well  as  a  per- 
sonal grief  to  his  many  friends.  An  appropriate 
memorial  tablet  and  a  beautiful  lecturn  were  placed 
in  the  church  by  his  widow  and  daughters. 

The  present  warden  is  George  S.  Clark;  vestry- 
men, C.  M.  Purdy,  D.  Maitland  Armstrong,  Joseph 
Alexander,  James  Haberle,  Robert  Jackson,  F.  E. 
McCarthy,  Chester  A.  Gaede,  C.  E.  Lawrence. 

Membership  by  baj^tism  138;  number  of  comuni- 
cants  78. 


.     All  Saints  Church,  Milton. 

This  church  was  organized  in  1850  by  Rev.  Samuel 
Hawksley  of  Christ  Church,  Marlborough.  Rev.  Dr. 
Brown,  of  Newburgh,  officiated  at  the  laying  of  the 
corner  stone  May  30,  1854;  and  Bishop  Horatio  Pot- 
ter held  the  consecration  service  in  October,  1859.  It 
has  always  been  in  the  care  of  the  rector  at  Marl- 
borough. The  first  wardens  were  William  H.  Gedney 
and  Lee  Ensign;  the  vestrymen,  Jacob  Handley, 
David  Sands,  Jr.,  James  T.  Knapp,  Jacob  Rowley,  Jr., 
Edgar  D,  Gillis,  Smith  AVood,  Jr..  L.  Harrison  Smith 
and  Richard  Gee. 

The  present  officers  are:  C.  A.  Valentine  and  Chas. 
W.  Weston,  wardens;  Jas.  R.  Francis,  John  Y,  Red- 
ding, Frank  Silverman,  Frederick  H.  Smith,  Freder- 
ick W.  Vail,  George  S.  Clark,  H.  C.  Weston,  Isaac 
Crook,  vestrymen. 

Membership  by  baptism  73,  communicants  44. 

The  rectors  of  this  church  since  organization  have 
been  supplied  from  the  Marlborough  church,  or  more 
properly  the  same  rectors  have  taken  charge  of  both 


The  Milton  Society  of  Friends.  425 

cliurches  and  ministered  to  the  people  of  both  neigh- 
borhoods with  the  same  zeal  and  earnestness.  The 
names  of  Hawksley,  Akerly,  Buckmast-er,  Hobson, 
Tibbals,  Morse  and  the  present  rector  are  quite  as 
familiar  at  Milton  as  at  Marlborough.  Both  churches 
have  done  good  work;  they  have  been  earnest  and  con- 
sistent in  their  doctrines.  They  have  had  a  steady  in- 
crease in  membership,  and  their  communicants  hav^^ 
always  been  among  the  most  intelligent  and  progres- 
sive in  the  town. 


The  Milton  Society  of  Friends. 

On  December  31,  1760,  Edward  Hallock,  a  Friend's 
minister  from  Long  Island,  with  his  family,  landed 
his  sloop  a  short  distance  south  of  Milton  at  a  rock 
known  as  Forefather's  rock,  and  marked  E.  H.  One 
of  his  daughters  had  previously  married  John  Young 
and  was  living  in  the  stone  house  still  standing  near 
the  house  of  the  late  Jesse  Lester.  The  Hallock 
family  moved  into  the  same  house,  and  he  immedi- 
ately began  to  hold  meetings.  These  meetings  are 
alleged  to  have  been  the  iirst  services,  but  they  were 
not,  as  there  were  other  Quakers  here  before  that 
time  and  they  certainly  never  went  without  some  ser- 
vice. Edward  Hallock  afterward  located  a  little  fur- 
ther north  on  the  Bond  Patent  and  built  a  mill.  He 
died  in  1809  at  the  age  of  93. 

The  meetings  above  spoken  of  were  the  first  Quaker 
meetings  held  in  Ulster  county.  The  Friends  resid- 
ing at  New  Marlborough  (Milton),  were  members  of 
the  Nine  Partners'  monthly  and  quarterly  meetings. 
Afterward  the  Cornwall  monthly  meeting,  which  in- 
cluded the  meeting  here,  was  set  off.  In  the  year  1789, 
the  Cornwall  monthly  meeting  authorized  William 
Thorn,  Jacob  Wright,  Edward  Hallock  and  Alexan- 
der   Young,    as   trustees,    to   purchase    from   Daniel 


426  History  of  Marlborough. 


Knowlton  seven  acres  of  land  one  mile  south  of 
Milton  and  on  the  west  side  of  the  main  road  oppo- 
site to  the  honse  wh-ere  Edward  Hal  lock  had  held 
his  jSrst  meetings.  This  was  the  first  purchase  of  land 
for  church  purposes  by  the  Friends  in  Ulster  county. 
A  small  church  was  built  on  this  tract,  the  ruins  of 
which  were  plainly  to  be  seen  a  few  years  since. 
After  this  building  ceased  to  be  a  church  (ISO-t),  it 
was  used  for  many  years  as  a  dwelling-house,  and, 
I  think,  some  of  the  time  as  a  store.  There  was  a 
blacksmith's  shop  near  it,  and  the  old  Powell,  Quimby, 
and  Lewis  docks.  A  store,  a  tavern  and  limekilns 
were  east  of  it  at  the  river.  There  was  quite  a  con- 
troversy at  the  time  among  the  Friends  as  to  where 
the  next  church  should  be  built.  John  Wood  and  the 
other  Friends  residing  at  and  near  Lattintown  in- 
sisted that  the  church  be  built  nearer  the  latter  place; 
and  a  small  field  of  land  on  the  east  part  of  what  is 
now  the  C.  M.  Woolsey  farm  was  either  bought  or 
contracted  for,  and  is  called  the  meeting-house  lot  to 
this  day,  but  the  church  was  built  as  stated  below. 

The  Cornwall  monthly  meeting  was  held  by  adjourn- 
ment at  Marlborough  (Milton)  May  24,  1804,  at  which 
extracts  from  the  minutes  of  the  Nine  Partners' 
quarterly  meeting  were  received,  allowing  the  Corn- 
wall monthly  meeting  to  establish  or  set  oif  a  new 
monthly  meeting  to  be  known  as  the  Marlborough 
monthly  meeting ;  the  first  meeting  * '  to  be  held  at  the 
meeting-house  at  Marlborough  (Milton),  6  mo.  27th 
day,  1804,  and  thereafter  at  '  The  Valley  '  (Plattekill) 
and  Marlborough  (Milton)  alternately  on  the  day  pre- 
\dous  to  the  monthly  meeting  to  be  held  at  Cornwall." 

August  20,  1304,  Joshua  Sutton  conveyed  to  James 
Hallock,  John  Wood  and  Samuel  Adams,  trustees  ap- 
pointed at  the  monthly  meeting  held  at  Cornwall,  one 
and  one-half  acres  of  land  situated  about  one-third  of 
a  mile  southerly  from  the  present  village  of  Milton, 


The  Milton  Society  of  Friends.  427 


on  the  easterly  side  of  the  post-road,  upon  which  a 
meeting-house  was  ei-ected  and  occupied  until  1828,  at 
which  time  the  larger  part  of  the  Friends  became  fol- 
lowers of  Hicks,  adopted  his  ordinances  and  doc- 
trines; and  the  regulars  or  old  school  of  Friends 
found  themselves  virtually  turned  out  of  house  and 
home.  A  new  and  strange  doctrine  began  to  be 
preached  in  their  church  which  they  could  not  tol- 
erate, and  they  renounced  all  fellowship  with  the  fol- 
lowers of  Hicks.  They  then  held  meetings  for  the 
next  two  years  at  the  house  of  Foster  Hallock,  grand- 
father of  George  Hallock,  and  where  George  now  re- 
sides. 

In  1830  the  Friends  bought  a  lot  of  land  of  Foster 
Hallock,  and  built  a  new  meeting-house,  :wliich,  though 
it  had  been  repaired  and  modified,  did  good  service 
for  fifty-seven  years.  It  had  become  so  much  the 
worse  for  wear  that  in  1886  it  was  thought  best  to 
build  a  new  church,  and  also  to  change  the  site  nearer 
the  village,  A  lot  of  land  was  purchased  of  James  H. 
Barrett's  estate,  and  a  new  meeting-house  built,  which 
looks  very  different  from  those  erected  years  ago.  It 
was  opened  May  22,  1887,  with  appropriate  dedicatory 
services. 

Among  the  earlier  ministers,  besides  Edward  Hal- 
lock, were  his  brother,  Samuel  Hallock;  David  Sands, 
who  married  Clementine,  a  daughter  of  Edward  Hal- 
lock, in  1772;  Samuel  Nottingham,  Samuel  Adams, 
Ann  Adams,  Nicholas  Hallock,  James  Hallock,  and  in 
more  recent  years,  Hannah  F.  Fry.  Stephen  Taber 
was  a  minister  for  more  than  forty  years.  During  the 
past  few  years  several  ministers  from  other  jjlaces 
have  resided  here  for  a  short  time,  their  services  add- 
ing much  to  tlie  interest  and  welfare  of  the  meeting. 
Among  these  are  George  Wood,  Jesse  McPherson  and 
S.  Adelbert  Wood,  Edward  Wood,  Mary  S.  Knowles, 
Harry  R.  Keats,  Caleb  J.  Jenkins,  Thomas  E.  Wil- 


428  History  of  Marlborough. 

liams,  Emilie  U.  Burgess  and  Martha  H.  Bell,  the 
present  minister.  This  last  mentioned  lady  is  a  lineal 
descendant  from  the  old  preacher,  Samuel  Hallock. 
The  present  trustees  are  Fred  Taber,  Foster  H. 
Clarke  and  Charles  E.  Taber.  The  i3resent  member- 
ship is  seventy-five. 

Hannah  Fry,  "Aunt  Hannah"  as  she  was  called, 
officiated  for  many  years  here,  and  also  assisted  at 
the  other  meetings.  She  had  a  pleasing  address,  was 
a  fluent  speaker,  and  gave  her  whole  life  to  the  cause. 
In  all  cases  of  sickness  or  other  affliction  she  was  ever 
ready  to  give  consolation  and  comfort;  many  a  kind 
w^ord  has  she  said,  and  many  a  kind  act  has  she  done. 
She  was  known  far  and  near  and  many  years  will  pass 
ere  her  name  will  be  forgotten.  Nothing  that  can  be 
said  here  can  add  to  her  worth.  Her  character,  dis- 
interested life,  and  her  virtues  are  too  fresh  in  the 
memory  of  all,  to  require  any  rehearsal. 

Stephen  Taber  died  in  1897  at  a  ripe  old  age,  after 
a  ministry  of  more  than  forty  years.  Almost  every 
man,  woman  and  child  about  southern  Ulster  county, 
and  in  parts  of  Orange  and  Dutchess  counties,  knew 
Stephen  Taber.  Born  in  Plattekill,  he  spent  most  of 
his  life  here;  as  a  farmer  working  hard  throughout 
th-e  week,  and  on  Sundays  and  other  church  days 
preaching  the  Gospel.  During  his  long  pastorate  he 
served  without  compensation;  the  old  doctrine  of  the 
church  was  against  paying  the  minister.  Persons  re- 
ceiving pay  in  church  work  were  called  hirelings  by 
the  Quakers.  Just  after  the  civil  war,  Mr.  Taber  was 
appointed  by  the  Quarterly  or  Yearly  Meeting  to 
preach  in  the  south,  and  he  spent  several  winters  in 
Virginia,  North  Carolina  and  other  i^laces.  He  had 
some  quite  remarkable  adventures.  A  history  of  his 
life  and  events  of  his  ministry  would  be  most  interest- 
ing, but  I  understand  that  no  record  of  it  has  been 
left.     He  was  a  jilain,  blunt  man  with  a  great  many 


The  Milton  Society  or  Friends.  429 

original  ideas.  He  preached  from  the  things  he  saw 
and  knew  in  his  every-day  life;  the  things  which  were 
near  to  nature,  as  he  thought  of  them  and  saw  them 
in  the  fields  he  cultivated.  No  eloquence  as  taught  in 
schools,  no  rhetorical  perfections,  yet  he  sent  many 
pointed  truths  home  to  the  h-earts  of  his  listeners. 
His  memory  and  work  are  fresh  in  the  minds  of  all  — 
1  need  say  no  more. 

In  closing  this  brief  review  of  the  Friends'  Society 
it  might  be  said  that  in  this  neighborhood  from  the 
■earliest  settlements  the  Friends  have  exercised  an  in- 
fluence for  good.  Their  precepts  and  examples  have 
been  worthy  of  emulation.  They  have  been  an  in- 
dustrious and  worthy  people,  and  have  stood  by  and 
faithfully  kept  up  the  traditions  of  their  church. 
Their  order  has  always  been  opposed  to  war,  and  dur- 
ing the  Kevolution  they  did  not  always  receive  the 
right  hand  of  fellowship  from  their  neighbors  who 
were  struggling  in  the  cause  of  liberty;  but  their  con- 
sistency and  devotion  to  their  religion  won  respect  at 
last,  and  they  were  ready  to  contribute  their  share  to 
the  needs  of  the  army.  During  the  Civil  War  several 
Quakers  from  Milton  served  in  the  army  and  gave 
their  young  lives  in  the  cause.  For  years  before  the 
Civil  War  the  Quakers  had  been  opposed  to  slavery, 
and  it  was  claimed  that  there  were  stations  among 
them,  where  the  slave  escaping  from  bondage  could 
find  a  safe  refuge  and  be  helped  on  his  journey  to 
freedom. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Marlborough. 

When  this  name  was  first  used  in  connection  with 
the  precinct  or  neighborhood  cannot  now  be  definitely 
determined.  The  first  record  I  find  of  the  name  is  in 
the  old  church  records  of  the  Marlborough  Presby- 
terian church,  and  is  as  follows: 

A  register  of  the  proceedings  of  Stephen  Case  and  John 
Woolsey,  first  Trustees  of  the  Marlborough  Society,  and  their 
successors  begun  the  first  day  of  January  1764. 

When  the  precinct  was  organized  in  1772,  it  natur- 
ally took  the  name  of  New  Marlborough. 

The  first  settler  as  we  have  shown  was  Dennis 
Relyea ;  he  built  a  cabin  on  the  Kill  and  lived  and  died 
there.  In  1764  a  survey  was  made;  Main  street  was 
laid  out  and  village  lots  of  one  acre  each  were  sur- 
veyed and  numbered  along  Main  street ;  several  water 
lots  were  also  surveyed,  numbered,  etc.,  and  a  map 
made  of  the  same. 

Lewis  DuBois  about  this  time  and  several  years 
thereafter  was  the  principal  personage ;  his  name  ap- 
pears in  most  all  of  the  public  proceedings.  He  built 
docks,  mills,  etc.,  and  was  the  leader  in  all  public  im- 
provements of  the  time.  Dr.  Abijah  Perkins  was  a 
prominent  personage  at  that  time,  also  Benjamin  Car- 
penter and  Stephen  Case.  Charles  Millard  became 
early  identified  with  the  interests  of  the  place  —  in 
1790  or  before  — as  in  1799  he  was  well  established 
as  appears  by  the  following  advertisement  in  the  New- 
burgh  Mirror,  one  of  the  first  papers: 

Six  thousand  boards  and  planks  for  sale  by  the  subscriber  - 
at  his  mill  on  Jew's  Creek  for  cash,  or  any  kind  of  country 
produce.      All   those   who   are   indebted   to   the   subscriber   for 
boards  are  requested  to  call  and  settle  their  accounts  by  the 

[431] 


432  History  of  Marlboeough, 

15th   day   of  March  next  or  they   will   be   prosecuted  without 
discrimination. 

CHAELES  MILLAED. 

IMarlborough  Fel).  20,  lv99. 

N.  B.  A  store  to  let  with  four  rooms  on  the  floor  and  the 
privilage  of  a  dock.     Enquire  as  aljove. 

In  an  advertisement  of  sale  published  in  the  "  Po- 
litical Index,"  a  Newburgh  paper,  in  1809,  his  prop- 
erty is  described  as  follows : 

Within  half  a  mile  of  the  Meeting-House,  containing  about 
twenty-three  acres  of  good  land,  with  a  handsome  grove  of 
timber,  and  a  young  orchard  of  the  best  ingrafted  fruit,  and  a 
variety  of  other  fruit  trees.  The  situation  is  very  pleasant. 
There  is  on  the  premises  a  good  dwelling  house,  a  barn  with 
other  outhouses,  also  a  never-failing  run  or  rill  of  water  within 
a  few  feet  of  the  kitchen  and  a  good  well.  Also  a  grist  mill 
and  a  saw  mill,  so  constructed  as  to  take  the  logs  out  of  the 
water  without  any  expense  of  land  carriage.  It  will  cut  eight 
or  ten  hundred  logs  in  a  year.  The  buildings  are  all  well  fin- 
ished. There  is  also  a  convenient  place  on  the  premises  for  a 
fulling  and  plaster  mill. 

This  was  on  what  is  now  the  Buckley  property,  and 
the  mills  were  along  Jew's  creek  which  ran  through 
the  property.  AVith  his  sons,  Walter  and  others,  Mr. 
Millard  extended  his  business  across  the  river  into 
Dutchess  county  and  in  different  places.  The  trade 
grew  extensively.  The  lumber  was  drawn  in  the  win- 
ter by  teams  over  the  ice  and  snow  for  long  distances, 
and  in  the  summer  it  was  shipped  by  sloops,  mostly  to 
New  York  and  along  Long  Island  sound  and  the  Jer- 
sey shore.  The  timber  was  obtained  principally  by 
rafts  from  the  upper  Hudson,  but  a  considerable  part 
of  ,it  came  from  the  country  about  the  mills.  He  after- 
ward moved  to  New  Hamburgh  where  most  of  his 
descendants  have  since  resided.  His  son  Walter  suc- 
ceeded him  and  commenced  freighting;  he  built  the 
barge  Lexington  for  that  purpose.  Uri  Mills  was  a 
partner.     In  1844  they  purchased  the   Marlborough 


Marlborough.  433 


dock  of  the  DuBois  estate,  and  a  freighting  business 
was  established  with  that  at  New  Hamburgh.  The 
steamboat  "  Splendid  "  was  purchased  and  ran  from 
Marlborough  and  Xew  Hamburgh  on  Mondays  and 
Thursdays.  They  commenced  the  lumber  business  at 
Marlborough  in  1851.  In  1854  Walter  Millard  retired 
from  the  freighting  business,  but  continued  the  lum- 
ber business  at  Marlborough  and  New  Hamburgh. 
John  P.  Millard  and  H.  H.  Holden  succeeded  to  the 
freighting  and  steamboat  business,  and  in  1857  the 
propeller  "  AVyoming  "  was  put  on  the  line.  Samuel 
N.  Millard  took  the  place  of  Holden.  The  tirm  became 
J.  P.  Millard  &  Bro.  They  continued  the  freight  and 
lumber  business.  In  1863  the  firm  became  W.  Millard 
&  Son,  but  in  1880  Walter  died  and  the  business  was 
managed  by  the  estate  until  1884,  when  the  firm  of 
Walter  Millard's  Sons  was  formed.  It  will  be  ob- 
served that  the  Millards  had  been  identified  with  this 
business  for  much  more  than  a  hundred  years.  They 
enjoyed  a  large  trade  which  gradually  increased  from 
its  commencement.  They  had  the  respect  and  con- 
fidence of  all  their  business  associates  and  patrons  for 
their  honesty  and  fair  dealings  in  every  branch  of  th"e 
trade. 

This  firm  afterward  became  the  Millard  Lumber 
Co.,  and  in  1903  the  Marlborough  business  was  sold 
out  to  the  Marlborough  Manufacturing  &  Supply  Co., 
but  the  enterprise  at  New  Hamburgh  continues  as  the 
Marlborough  Lumber  Co. 

John  Buckley  in  1815  purchased  the  carding  and 
spinning  mill.  He  commenced  carding  and  spinning 
wool ;  his  business  increased.  In  1822  James  and  John 
Thorne  became  partners.  The  firm  was  dissolved 
in  1830,  but  Mr.  Buckley  continued  the  business  until 
1855,  when  he  converted  his  factory  into  a  cotton  mill, 
which  he  continued  until  1861,  when  he  retired  from 
business.    As  I  understand  it,  Buckley  purchased  this 


434  History  of  Marlborough. 

property  from   Charles   Millard,  where   Millard   had 
previously  done  business. 

An  Elegy. 

On  the  death  of  Capt.  Annanias  Valentine,  Thomas 
Pinkney,  Isaac  Elliot,  Jeremiah  Cropsey  and  Leonard 
Merritt,  all  respectable  citizens  of  the  town  of  Marl- 
borough, who  were  unfortunately  drowned  on  the  fiats 
in  front  of  the  town  in  attempting  to  go  on  shore  on 
Friday  morning,  December  12,  1800,  in  a  violent  storm 
of  wind  and  rain. 

This  poem  received  considerable  local  celebrity  at 
the  time : 

Come  all  ye  good  people,  of  every  degree, 
And  listen  with  attention  one  moment  to  me, 
For  a  sorrowful  story  I  mean  to  relate, 
Of  a  mournful  disaster  that  happened  of  late. 

Oh,  Marll^orough !  tremble  at  this  awful  stroke. 
Consider  the  voice  of  Jehovah,  that  spoke 
To  teach  us  we're  mortals,  exposed  to  death 
And  subject  each  moment  to  yield  up  our  breath. 

Oh,  reader!  these  coffins  exhibit  to  view 

A  striking  example  that's  mournfully  true 

To  show  thee  that  death  will  ])e  thy  certain  doom, 

That  shortly  the  body  must  enter  the  tomb. 

On  Friday,  the  twelfth  of  December,  so  cold, 
In  the  year  eighteen  hundred,  as  I  have  been  told. 
The  wind  l)lowing  high  and  the  rain  beating  down, 
A  vessel  arrived  at  Marlborough  town. 

The  anchor  being  cast  and  their  sails  stowed  away 
All  hands  for  the  shore  prepared  straight  away. 
Down  into  the  boats  soon  all  did  repair, 
And  unto  the  shore  were  preparing  to  steer. 

But,  mark  their  sad  fortune,  mournful  indeed ! 
Yet  no  man  can  hinder  what  G-od  has  decreed, 
For  the  councils  of  heaven,  on  that  fatal  day, 
Bv  death  in  an  instant  called  a  number  away. 


An  Elegy.  435 

A  number  of  men  in  their  health  and  their  prime 
Called  out  of  the  world  in  an  instant  of  time. 
For  their  boats  turning  over  plunged  all  in  the  deep, 
And  five  out  of  seven  in  death  fell  asleep. 

A  vessel  at  anchor  was  lying  near  Iw, 

The  men  in  the  cabin  heard  their  piercing  cry : 

To  grant  them  relief  they  hasten  with  speed, 

And  two  of  their  number  from  the  water  are  freed. 

These  sorrowful  tidings  were  carried  straightway 
To  their  friends  and  relations  without  more  delay. 
But,  Oh !  their  lamenting  no  tongue  can  express, 
Nor  point  out  their  sorrow,  great  grief  and  distress. 

Three  wives  widowed,  left  in  sorrow  to  mourn 
The  loss  of  their  husbands,  no  more  to  return; 
Besides  a  great  number  of  orphans,  we  hear, 
Lamenting  the  fate  of  their  parents  so  dear. 

Also  a  young  damsel  left  mourning  alone 
For  the  untimely  death  of  her  lover  that's  gone : 
For  the  day  of  their  nuptials  appointed  had  been 
In  the  bonds  of  sweet  wedlock  these  lovers  to  join. 

Yet,  alas!  their  lamentings  are  all  in  vain. 
Their  husbands  are  drowned,  they  can't  them  regain. 
Their  friends  and  relations  came  now  too  late, 
The  council  of  heaven  had  sealed  their  fate. 

Their  bodies  being  found  were  all  conveyed  home 
And  the  Sabbath  day  following  prepared  for  the  tomb 
Their  bodies  in  their  coffins  were  laid  side  by  side 
In  Marlborough  meeting  house  alley  so  wide. 

A  numerous  concourse  of  people  straightway 
Attended  with  sorrow  on  that  mournful  day, 
To  see  the  remains  of  the  neighbors  so  dear, 
And  join  their  relations  in  a  friendly  tear. 

A  sermon  was  preached  on  the  occasion  also, 
WTiile  the  people  attended  with  a  solemn  awe. 
To  see  such  a  number  by  death  snatched  away. 
Who  all  lay  before  them  as  lifeless  as  clay. 


436  HisTOEY  OF  Maklborough. 


The  sermon  being  ended  the  corpses  were  conveyed, 
And  in  the  cold  caverns  of  earth  they  were  laid, 
Where  now  we  must  leave  them  to  molder  to  dust 
Until  the  resurrection  of  the  just  and  unjust. 

To  the  widows  and  mourners  o'erwhelmed  with  grief : 
May  you  all  trust  in  God.  who  will  grant  you  relief. 
He'll  ease  all  your  sorrows  and  soothe  all  your  pain, 
And  finally  take  you  to  glory  to  reign. 

Come  all  tliat  are  living  and  know  you  must  die, 
I  pray  you  take  warning  hy  this  tragedy. 
That  when  death  shall  call  you  and  close  up  your  eyes. 
Your  souls  may  be  happy  with  Christ  in  the  skies. 

Eeg'iilar  mail  service  was  established  in  1824  when 
the  first  postniastei'  was  appointed,  and  the  following 
have  served  as  such  at  Marlborough: 

Daniel  G.  Russell,  July  13,  1824. 

Miles  J.  Fletcher,  April  14,  1826. 

Eobert  B.  Mapes,  August  12,  1841. 

Miles  J.  Fletcher,  June  7,  1843. 

James  S.  Knapp,  April  10,  1856. 

Charles  D.  Jackson,  April  8.  1861. 

Dallas  DuBois,  August  20,  1866. 

John  H.  Baxter,  August  4,  1869. 

John  C.  Merritt,  April  1,  1875. 

Martin  Y.  B.  Morgan,  August  5,  1885. 

H.  Scott  Corwin   (not  commissioned),  February  28,  1889. 

Charles  H.  Kniffin,  May  3,  1889. 

William  S.  AVright,  August  3,  1893. 

Charles  H.  Kniffin,  February  15,  1899. 

Charles  I.  Purdy,  February  "26,  1903. 

James  A.  Johnston,  April  19,  1904. 

There  are  four  churches,  several  factories  and  mills, 
and  a  number  of  stores  at  Marlborough.  It  also  has 
a  national  bank,  electric  lights,  and  soon  expects  to  be 
connected  with  Newburgh  by  trolley.  The  country 
surrounding  the  village  commands  a  beautiful  view 
of  the  river  and  neighboring  country,  and  it  is  render- 
ing d-esirable  sites  for  residences.    No  more  beautiful 


MiLTox.  437 

or  convenient  i^lace  to  locate  can  be  found  in  a  day's 
journey.  It  has  a  large  graded  school,  water  works, 
a  flourishing  weekly  paper,  and  has  the  advantages 
of  an  incorporated  village.  The  West  Shore  rail- 
road furnishes  numerous  trains  daily,  and  the  facili- 
ties for  river  travel  cannot  be  surpassed.  The  in- 
crease in  population  has  been  rapid  during  the  past 
few  years. 


Milton. 

Milton  was  so  named  some  time  after  the  war  of 
the  Revolution.  The  name  is  found  in  an  old  record 
of  the  earlier  Methodist  Society.  In  "  October,  1788, 
Rev.  Ezekiel  Cooper  held  the  first  Methodist  meeting 
in  the  county  at  the  house  of  John  Woolsey  near 
Milton." 

Milton  had  good  water  power;  and  saw  and  grist 
mills  were  soon  built.  There  has  been  a  steady 
growth  of  population.  It  was  very  flourishing  from 
1812  to  1850.  A  turnpike  was  built  about  1808,  and 
a  large  tract  of  country  to  the  west  had  its  outlet 
here. 

David  Sands  carried  on  a  large  ship  yard.  There 
was  a  pin  factory,  soap  factory,  and  two  hat  factories 
at  one  time,  and  a  paper  called  the  '^  National  Pio- 
neer "  was  printed  here  in  1830,  edited  by  Daniel  S. 
Tuthill,  or,  as  he  was  generally  called,  Selah  Tuthill, 
a  son  of  Selah  Tuthill,  member  of  Congress.  Both  are 
buried  at  Marlliorough. 

The  ''Pioneer"  was  issued  every  Wednesday,  at 
'*$2  per  annum,  payable  cpiarterly,  or  $2.50  at  the 
end  of  the  year."  This  price  was  for  village  sub- 
scribers and  those  who  received  their  paper  through 
the  post  rider.  There  were  four  pages  of  six  columns 
each. 

From  the  advertising  columns  of  the  ''Pioneer" 


438  History  or  Marlborough. 

more  is  to  be  learned  about  jMiltoii  than  from  the  read- 
ing matter.  Advertisements  appear  from  David 
Brower,  tailor,  in  Milton  village;  Anson  St.  John, 
manufacturer  of  cabinetware  and  fancy  chairs,  also 
painter;  C.  S.  Eoe,  general  storekeeper,  agent  for 
threshing  machines,  real  estate  agent,  dealer  in  rye, 
oats  and  corn,  and  owner  of  a  tow  boat;  Mrs.  M.  B. 
Taylor,  milliner,  of  Marlborough;  Charles  Field,  hat 
manufacturer;  Lougbottom  &  Co.,  announcing  the  re- 
tirement of  James  Kinworthy;  and  many  others  of 
more  'or  less  interest.  From  one  of  these  we  learn 
that  the  proprietor  of  the  paper,  D.  S.  Tuthill,  also 
kept  a  store  at  New  Paltz  Landing  (Highland).  Here 
he  sold  goods  at  "  reduced  prices,"  just  as  the  modern 
merchants  do.  Daniel  S.  Tutliill.  or  Selah  Tuthill,  as 
he  was  commonly  called,  was  a  man  of  considerable 
ability  and  business  enterprise. 

From  the  files  of  the  "  Pioneer  "  we  learn  that  Cor- 
nelius Polhemus  kept  a  i)ublic  house  in  Marlborough 
in  1830,  as  witness  the  following  advertisement: 

FOR  SALE. —  The  house  and  lot  on  which  the  subscriber 
now  lives,  situate  in  the  village  of  Marlborough :  it  has  been 
occupied  as  a  i)ul)lic  house  for  many  years,  and  affords  as  great 
advantages  for  the  business  as  any  other  location  in  the  vicinity. 
The  buildings  are  in  good  repair  and  conveniently  arranged; 
there  is  a  variety  of  fruit  trees  on  the  premises,  all  of  which 
are  of  the  best  quality.  The  above  property  will  be  sold  at  a 
great  bargain,  and  terms  of  payment  made  accommodating  tO' 
the  purchaser.     Apply  to  the  subscriber  on  the  premises. 

Cornelius  Polhemus. 

Marlborough.   April   Tth.   1830. 

Cornwall  S.  Eoe  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  men 
in  Milton  in  1830,  if  his  advertisements  in  the  ''  Pio- 
neer "  prove  anything.  In  one  copy  of  the  paper  he 
had  no  less  than  sixteen  advertisements  of  various 
kinds.  He  kept  a  general  store,  where  were  sold  dry 
goods,    groceries,    crockery,    hardware,    lumber,    tar,, 


Milton.  439 

plaster,  salt,  fish,  pork  etc.  He  bought  grain  and  flax- 
seed at  "  highest  cash  prices"  and  purchased  patent 
rights  for  agricultural  machinery  in  order  to  have 
the  exclusive  sale  in  his  section.  He  also  speculated 
in  land.  In  one  place  he  advertises  that  the  ladies  of 
Ulster  county  can  be  supplied  with  Navarino  hats, 
either  in  the  flat  or  made  up  in  the  neatest  manner  at 
short  notice.     In  another  place  behold : 

The  Tow  boat  iVtalanta,  Capt.  C.  S.  Eoe,  now  performs  her 
passage  with  all  regular  speed ;  and  to  meet  the  economical 
views  of  all,  passengers  are  taken  at  the  low  rate  of  Four 
Shillings,  who  find  themselves; — Six  shillings  and  found.  She 
arrives  both  ways  before  daylight.  G.  S.  Roe. 

Milton,  April  T,  1830. 


CABIXET  AXD  GHAIR  MAXUFACTORY 

Anson  St.  John,  respectfully  informs  his  friends  and  cus- 
tomers that  he  continues  the  aljove  business  at  his  new  stand 
in  the  village  of  Milton,  where  he  keeps  constantly  on  hand  a 
general  assortment  of  Cabinet  Ware,  consisting  of  Tables,  Bed- 
steads,' Stands,  Secretaries,  Bureaus,  and  Sideboards,  of  every 
description,  which  he  will  sell  at  reduced  prices,  and  on  reason- 
able credit.  He  has  also  a  general  assortment  of  Fancy  Chairs, 
consisting  of  Fancy  Bamlioo,  and  Cain  Seat  Windsor  and  Com- 
mon Rush  Bottom  Chairs.  Painting  of  every  description,  done 
with  neatness  and  at  the  shortest  notice. 

Dec.  23,  1829. 


TAH^ORIXCt 
David  Brower 

Respectfully  announces  to  the  public  that  he  continues  to 
carry  on  the  tailoring  business,  in  all  its  various  branches  and 
fashions  in  Milton  village,  where  he  will  be  happy  to  attend  to 
hig  customers.  From  his  long  experience,  and  employing  none 
but  superior  hands  in  his  business,  he  can  assure  the  public 
that  his  work  will  be  done  in  style  equal  to  that  of  any  person 
of  his  profession  either  in  Xewburgh  or  Po'keepsie,  therefore 
hopes  to  meet  and  receive  a  share  of  public  patronage.  Cutting 
and  Basting  done  according  to  the  order  of  his  customers. 

Milton,  Feb.  10th,  1830. 


440  History  of  Marlborough. 


XOTICE 

The  Subscriber  has  discontinued  his  business  at  the.  Xew 
Paltz  Landing,  for  the  purpose  of  closing  his  concerns.  All 
Persons  indebted  to  him  arc  respectfully  informed  that  his 
Books  are  now  arranged  for  settlement,  and  he  wishes  them 
to  call  on  or  before  the  15th  day  of  June  next,  and  settle  the 
same,  as  all  notes,  bonds  and  accounts,  due  and  unsettled  at  that 
time,  will  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  proper  officers  for  collection. 
Persons  having  claims  against  the  Subscriber  will  please  present 
them  for  liquidation. 

JOirX  BE^^SON, 

May  26th,  1830.  New-Paltz. 


HAT  MAXUFACTLTEEK, 
Charles  Field, 

Peturns  his  grateful  acknowledgments  to  his  friends  and  the 
public,  for  the  liberal  patronage  he  has  received  from  them, 
and  solicits  a  continuance  of  the  like  favors.  Being  desirous 
of  their  further  patronage,  wishes  to  inform  them  that  he  lias 
opened  a  Hat  Store,  in  the  City  of  Xew  York,  at  No.  3G| 
Bowery,  which  will  enable  him  to  have  his  hats  finished  in  the 
city,  according  to  the  latest  fashions,  and  furnished  to  his  cus- 
tomers, at  reduced  prices. 

The  business  in  future  will  be  conducted  by  his  son  William 
A.  Field,  at  his  old  establishment,  in  the  village  of  Milton,  a 
few  doors  south  of  Jacob  P.  Townsend's  store.  All  persons 
having  unsettled  accounts  with  him,  are  requested  to  pay  im- 
mediate attention  to  the  same.  The  books  of  accounts  are  left 
with  AYilliam  A.  Field,  who  is  fully  authorized  to  collect  and 
settle  the  same. 

Milton,  4th  mo.   (Apr.)   14,  1830. 


NEW  GOODS. 

Cornwell  S.  Roe 
Would  respectfully  inform  his  friends,  and  the  public,  that 
he   has  just  received   at  his   store,   in  addition  to   his   former 
stock,  an  extensive  assortment  of  Dry  Goods,  Groceries,  Crock- 
ery, Hard  and  Hollow  Ware,  Etc.  Etc.     Also,  Nails,  Lumber, 


MiLTOx.  441 

Coarse  and   Fine  Salt,  Tar,  Plaster,  Fish,  Pork  all  of  ^yhich 
will  be  sold  at  reduced  prices,  and  upon  favorable  terms.     The 
highest  price  in  cash  will  be  paid  for  all  kinds  of  grain. 
Dec.  23rd,  1829. 


TOW-BOAT  ATALANTA 
Captain  Corxwell  S.  Eoe. 

Urged  by  a  sense  of  duty  by  his  numerous  friends  announces 
the  uninterrupted  prosecution  of  his  Towing  Business,  and  as- 
sures the  public  that  there  is  no  difficulty  now,  even  remote  in 
appearance;  he  makes  this  notice  for  the  express  purpose  to 
settle  the  agitation  of  the  public  in  relation  to  the  steam  boat 
accident,  some  time  since,  Ijy  running  against  a  sloop.  Also 
in  relation  to  a  mercantile  misfortune  with  which  he  is  in  no 
way  connected,  he  regrets  the  folly  that  some  have  now,  as  past, 
circulated  any  idle  tale,  to  impede  the  regularity  of  his  busi- 
ness. Wanted  Eye,  Oats  and  Corn  —  at  fair  prices  —  Cash  on 
deliverv.  C.  S.  Eoe. 

Milton,  May  19th,  1830. 


STEAM  BOAT  XOTICE. 

The  Hudson  Eiver  Steam  Boat  Line  is  now  plying  between 
New- York,  and  Albany,  leaving  Xew-York  at  5  o'clock,  P.  M. 
every  day,  (except  Sunday)  when  they  leave  Albany  at  10 
o'clock  A.  M. 

The  Steam  Boats  arrive  at  Milton  from  New- York  every 
night  betAveen  eleven  and  twelve  o'clock.  From  Albany,  they 
arrive  at  Milton  between  three  and  four  o'clock  every  afternoon. 
The  boats  will  land  and  receive  passengers  at  the  Steam  Boat 
Landing,  Milton.  Peter  Quimby. 

Milton,  May  3rd,  1830. 


NOTICE. 

The  copartnership  existing  under  the  firm  of  James  H.  Long- 
bottom  &  Co.  was  desolved  by  mutual  consent,  on  the  15th  day 
of  December  last.  James  Kinworthy  retires  from  the  concern. 
The  business  will  be  continued  as  usual  by  James  H. 
Longbottom. 

Feb.   6th,   1830. 


442  History  of  Marlborough, 


TAILOEING. 

Mr.  Charles  H.  Tajior  announces  to  the  public  that  he  has 
commenced  the  Tailoring  Business  in  all  its  various  branches 
and  fashions,  in  Marllwrough  Village,  over  the  store  of 
Barnabas  j\I.  ]\Iapes,  where  he  will  lie  happy  to  attend  on  his 
customers.  He  can  assure  the  public  that  his  work  will  be 
done  in  first  Xew  York  Style,  equal  to  that  of  any  person  of 
his  profession,  therefore  hopes  to  merit  and  receive  a  share  of 
public  patronage. 

Marlborough,  June  29,   1830. 

N".  B.  Cutting  done  in  fashionable  style  and  at  short  notice, 
and  on  reasonable  terms;  all  kinds  of  country  produce  taken 
in  i^ayment. 


MILLINERY. 

Mrs.  M.  B.  Taylor  respectfully  informs  the  public,  that  she 
has  recently  estal)lished  the  business  of  Millinery  and  Dress 
Making  in  ]\Iarll)orough  Village,  nearly  opposite  the  store  of 
Mr.  Fletcher,  where  she  will  he  happy  to  accommodate  cus- 
tomers in  the  above  ])ranch,  upon  the  most  moderate  terms. 

Marlborough,  June  29,  1830. 


List  of  letters  remaining  in  the  Post  Office,  at  Milton  iS^.  Y., 
October  1st,  1830. 

Eobert  Brown  Cornwell  S.  Roe 

William  Brown  John  Sheffield 

David  Brower  Benjamin  Sands 

Rev.  Jones  Hobbs  Albert  Stewart 

Louisa  B.  Meech  James  Stewart 

Henry  Perkins  Elisyabeth  "Woolsey 

Ann  Maria  Ransome  John  Worall 

A.  D.  Soper,  P.  M. 


THRESHING  MACHINE. 

The  subscriber,  having  purchased  the  interest  of  the 
Patentees,  for  this  country,  in  two  new  invented  Threshing 
Machines,  offers  the  same  for  sale,  at  Milton  Landing.  Tlie 
machines  will  either  be  furnished,  or  rights  sold  to  fnrmers 
empowering  them  to  construct  the  same.  Town  rights  will  be 
disposed   of   to    mechanics,    or    others    upon    reasonable    terms. 


Milton.  443 

Certificates  of  the  most  respected  farmers  in  the  county,  con- 
firming the  great  advantages  of  these  machines  are  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  subscriber  at  his  store,  where  the  machines  may 
be  seen  at  any  time. 

Cornwell   S.   Eoe. 
Milton,  Dec.  23,  1829. 


SALT  AND  TAE. 

Sack  salt  of  the  very  best  quality  and  quantity,  constantly 
for  sale  at  the  lowest  prices.     Also,  Tar  by  the  barrel. 

C.  S.  Eoe,  Milton,  April  7,  1830. 

Cornwall  S.  Roe  was  a  prominent  man  in  Milton 
for  a  nmnber  of  years.  His  parentage  was  unknown, 
as  he  was  picked  up  from  the  water  at  Cornwall,  when 
a  babe,  his  father  and  mother  being  drowned  by  the 
capsizing  of  a  boat.  The  little  boy  was  bundled  up 
in  a  blanket  and  floated.  He  went  west  and  died 
there  some  years  after. 

The  ferry  called  Lattimer's  ferry  ran  across  the 
river  to  Tlieophilus  Anthony's  point;  it  was  some- 
fimes  called  Anthon^^'s  ferry.  It  was  running  during 
the  Revolution  and  up  to  the  time  the  Powells  were 
in  business ;  it  ran  from  their  dock  and  for  several 
years  after  they  went  to  Newburgh.  Jacob  Powell 
kept  a  store  and  tavern  and  had  limekilns;  he  ran  a 
line  of  sloops  to  New  York  city.  Farmers  took  their 
produce  there  for  shipment  and  bought  their  goods. 
The  Powells  were  very  successful  and  quite  likely 
made  their  first  money  there.  The  same  business  was 
carried  on  there  for  several  years  after  they  left. 

At  or  near  Samuel  Sturgeon's  corner,  where  the 
road  from  the  Post  road  runs  down  to  this  dock, 
there  was  a  blacksmith's  shop,  a  meeting  house  and 
several  old  houses,  two  of  which  are  now  standing 
and  they  both  are  said  to  be  the  oldest  in  the  town. 

There  were  several  limekilns  about  the  docks;  the 
stone  was  brought  over  in  scows  from  Barnegat  and 


444  History  of  Marlborough, 

burned  on  this  side.  The  Barnegat  lime  at  this  time 
had  a  wide  i'ef)utation,  being  considered  a  standard 
article.  There  were  a  large  ninnber  of  kilns  and 
many  men  were  employed  at  Barnegat.  Sloops  were 
daily  loaded,  and  the  lime  was  shipped  long  distances. 
There  was  quite  a  village  there  at  the  time. 

Abont  the  year  1850.  a  l)rickyard  was  started  at 
Milton.  In  1862  the  Rev.  E.  W.  Clark  and  wife  opened 
a  day  and  boarding  school ;  it  was  very  successful  for 
several  years,  young  ladies  attending  from  most  all  of 
the  states  in  the  Union.  Mr.  Clark's  health  failing, 
they  moved  west,  and  Mrs.  Scofield  Brown  became  the 
owTier.  The  academy  buildings  were  soon  after 
burned. 

In  1871,  the  Milton  Savings  Bank  was  organized: 
Leonard  S.  Carp-enter,  president;  Jesse  Lyons,  first 
vice-president;  Wm.  H.  Gedney,  second  vice-presi- 
dent; Ethan  Parrott,  secretary.  No  business  was  ever 
transacted. 

In  1844,  Somner  Coleman  started  a  wheelbarrow 
factory  at  the  old  Smith  dock;  he  then  moved  to  the 
Milton  dock,  and  was  afterward  burned  out.  He  then 
established  himself  at  what  is  now  the  plush  factory. 
In  1854,  John  Newman  took  charge  of  the  business 
for  him,  and  in  1861,  he  purchased  the  plant,  and 
afterward  took  John  II.  Newman  and  Somner  F.  Cole- 
man into  partnership.  In  1870  the  factory  was 
burned  but  was  afterward  rebuilt.  John  Newman 
died  in  March  1884,  and  John  H.  Newman  continued 
the  business  until  his  death  in  September,  1885. 

H.  H.  Bell's  Sons  then  became  the  owners;  they 
converted  it  into  a  woolen  and  i)lush  factory,  enlarged 
the  buildings,  made  it  a  stock  company,  and  carried 
on  a  large  business  for  many  years  until  1904,  when 
the  firm  went  into  bankruptcy.  The  business  is  now 
carried  on  by  a  new  firm,  and  great  hopes  are  enter- 
tained of  its  future  success.    Its  nearness  to  the  docks 


Milton.  445 

and  depot  and  its  many  advantages  speak  well  for 
great    success   under   proper   management. 

The  first  town  meeting  held  at  Milton  was  in  1840 
at  the  house  of  Eobert  S.  Lockwood. 

A  mail  was  established  from  New  York  to  Albany 
in  1772;  the  route  being  up  on  one  side  of  the  river 
and  down  on  the  other.  It  passed  through  here  and 
delivered  mail  once  a  week  at  certain  places  along  the 
route,  where  the  people  would  congregate  when  the 
mail  was  expected.  The  first  regular  mail  service  was 
established  in  1822  and  postmaster  appointed,  and 
the  following  have  served  as  such  at  Milton: 

Abraham  D.  Soper,  August  20,  1822. 
Wilham  Soper,  April  2,  1836. 
Xancy  Soper,  .January  19,  1819. 
Calvin  F.  Bulkeley,  December  4,  1849. 
David  Sands,  Jr.."  July  20,  1853. 
Peter  M.  Carpenter,  May  26,  18-54. 
Theodore  Quick,  April  8,  1861. 
Ethan  Parrott.  January  12,  1866. 
Eoswell  H.  Stone,  February  1-5,  1869. 
Jacob  Rowley,  November  12,  1869. 
Ethan  Parrott,  Xovember  22,  1869. 
Edward  W.  Carhart,  February  23,  1882. 
Edward  W.  Pitcher,  March  25,  1884. 
Frederick  H.  Smith,  June  12,  1886. 
William  H.  Townsend,  Jr.,  May  24,  1889. 
Frederick  H.  Smith,  August  23,  1893. 
C.  Meech  AVoolsey,  August  28.  1897. 
Frederick  AV.  Woolsey,  August  8,  1902. 

There  are  five  churches,  several  factories  and  mills, 
and  stores  at  Milton.  It  has  always  been  a  favorite 
landing  for  steamboats,  and  has  enjoyed  greater  bene- 
fits and  conveniences  from  them  than  any  of  the  ad- 
joining villages.  Population,  800.  Electric  lights 
have  recently  been  installed,  and  it  is  expected  that  a 
bank  will  be  instituted  the  coming  year.  Dr.  A.  J. 
Palmer,  one  of  the  great  men  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  resides  here. 


4-46  History  of  Maklboeough. 

Lattintown. 

Lattintown,  the  oldest  iieigliborliood  or  liamlet,  ap- 
pears to  have  been  called  Latting  Town  in  former 
times.  It  is  so  called  in  the  early  records  of  the  war 
of  independence  and  prior  to  that  time. 

The  first  town  meeting,  1772,  was  held  at  the  house 
of  Henry  Deyo,  and  the  next,  1773,  at  the  house  of 
Richard  Carpenter  at  ''  Latting  Town."  From  that 
time  up  to  and  including  1779  the  meetings  were  held 
at  Silas  Purdy's;  that  was  the  Henry  E.  Gaede  place. 
Purdy  kept  a  tavern  and  had  a  mill;  he  also  kept  the 
stocks,  in  wliich  persons  were  put  to  be  punished, 
and  a  pound  where  stray  cattle  were  kept.  He  was 
an  officer  in  the  war  and  one  of  the  Committee  of 
Safety  and  Defense.  He  was  a  prominent  man  in 
his  day.  His  place  was  a  part  of  the  Lattintown 
valley. 

In  1780  and  for  the  next  fifty-eight  years,  up  to 
and  including  1838,  meetings  were  held  at  Lattintown, 
except  in  the  year  1801,  when  the  town  meeting  was 
held  at  Nathaniel  Harcourt's,  which  was  the  place 
afterward  owned  by  AVm.  Holmes  on  the  Post  road, 
and  was  a  tavern.  It  had  been  recently  torn  down  by 
J.  A.  Hepworth,  the  present  owner.  This  was  the  first 
year   after   Plattekill   had   become   a  separate   town. 

And  again  in  1841,  1849,  1852,  the  meetings  were 
held  at  Lattintown;  for  twenty  years  they  were  held 
at  David  Merritt's  house;  seven  years  at  John  Hait's; 
ten  years  at  Thomas  Warren's. 

Lattintown  was  a  great  place  for  horse  racing  on 
town  meeting  days.  The  militia  had  their  training, 
and  courts  were  held,  and  much  of  the  town  business 
transacted  here  in  those  times.  It  was  the  center  of 
poimlatiou  for  many  years.  The  smoothness  of  the 
country  and  fertility  of  the  lands,  which  were  well 
watered,  invited  the  early  settlers.  Large  tracts  of 
land  were  cleared  and  well  cultivated,  while  the  more 


Lattintown.  -l-iZ 

stony  and  rngged  lands  between  that  and  the  river 
were  mostly  forests.  At  one  time  more  business  was 
done  there  than  in  either  Milton  or  Marlborough  at 
the  same  time.  At  Lattintown  there  was  a  school, 
church,  stores,  wagon  and  blacksmith  shops,  a  tannery 
and  distillery,  also  two  taverns,  an  undertaker,  shoe- 
maker, harnessmaker,  tailor  and  mechanics  in  early 
times.  The  following  description  of  David  Merritt's 
property  is  taken  from  an  advertisement  in  the 
'*  Political  Index,"  published  in  Newburgh  in  1809: 

For  Sale,  a  fann  situate  in  the  village  of  Lattintown,  town 
of  Mai-lborough.  and  county  of  Ulster,  containing  about  180 
acres  of  land.  Said  farm  is  under  the  best  improvement,  ex- 
cepting 80  acres  of  excellent  wood  land.  There  is  on  the  same 
a  dwelling  house  neatly  finished,  containing  four  rooms  and  a 
kitchen  on  the  first  floor,  and  one  above  20  feet  square.  Also 
about  300  bearing  apple  trees,  a  cider  mill  and  house,  and  two 
barns,  one  30x43,  the  other  30x40,  and  other  outhouses.  The 
situation  is  excellent  for  a  puljlic  house,  being  the  place  where 
town  meetings  and  the  elections  have  hitherto  been  held.  For 
further  particulars  enquire  of  the  subscriber  on  the  premises. 

David  Merritt. 

Deceml)er  IS,  1809. 

A  Scotchman  named  McElrath  was  one  of  the 
earlier  storekeepers.  He  kept  quite  an  extensive 
variety  of  groceries  and  other  goods  for  those  times 
and  also  sold  liquor  by  the  measure.  He  had  had 
quite  a  matrimonial  adventure,  which  caused  much 
gossip. 

The  Fourth  of  July  was  always  a  gala  day.  They 
raced  horses  and  had  a  good  time  generally.  The 
whole  country  turned  out.  They  had  a  cannon  which 
had  seen  service  in  the  war,  which  they  kept  firing  all 
day. 

There  were  many  large  orchards  about  there  then, 
the  apples  from  which  were  made  into  cider  and 
whiskey,  and  was  very  common  and  cheap  and  used  by 
every  one.     Charles  Brown  had  a  distill-ery  on  what 


448  HiSTOEY  OF  Marlborough. 

is  now  the  Edward  DiiBois  place.    There  was  also  one 
at  what  was  the  Asbury  Wygant  place. 

The  Carpenter  family  were  among  the  first  settlers. 
Josei^h  Carpenter,  son  of  Benjamin,  was  born  at  Mus- 
keta  Cove,  September  15,  1705,  and  the  marriage 
record  of  St.  George's  church  of  Hempstead  shows 
that  he  was  married  on  May  20,  1728,  to  Sarah  Lat- 
ting,  who  was  a  daughter  of  Richard  and  Mary 
(Wright)  Latting  of  Lattingtown  (near  Musketa 
Cove).  By  inheritance  and  purchase  he  had  a  large 
landed  interest  at  "  Red  Springs  "  and  "  Oak  Neck," 
which  property  he  sold  in  1753,  and  in  company  with 
his  brother-in-law,  John  Latting,  his  son-in-law,  John 
Caverly,  and  Benjamin  Stanton,  purchased  through 
Lewis  Morris  and  others  and  Euphemia  Morris  of 
Busks,  England,  a  very  large  tract  of  land  in  Ulster 
county,  near  Newburgh,  which  they  settled  naming  it 
''  Lattingtown  "  after  their  Long  Island  home.  He 
died  there  in  1766,  and  his  widow  died  in  1790.  On 
the  farm  of  Joseph  Carpenter  now  Odell's,  in  a  part 
set  off  for  a  burial  spot,  there  is  to  be  seen  the  follow- 
ing memorial  stone : 

JOSEPH  CAEPEXTEE 

The  first  settler  of  this  place  and  the  planter  of  this  orchard 

Died  July  1st,  1766 

Aged  61  Years,  3  Mo.  and  6  Days 

He  had  eight  children ;  one,  Latting,  born  about 
1732.  His  daughter.  May,  born  1751,  married 
Nathaniel  Harcourt  of  Marlborough*.  This  name  on 
Long  Island  was  spelled  Harcutt,  Harcourt  and 
Harker.  The  following  is  the  memorandum  of  the 
title  to  the  lands : 

Henry  Lane  of  the  City  of  New  York,  merchant,  to  Joseph 
Carpenter,  Banjamin  Stanton.  John  Caverly,  John  Latting,  all 
of  Oyster  Bay,  L.  I.  Consideration  500  Lbs.  January  1753 ; 
described  in  the  Deed  as  all  that  certain  lot  or  parcel  of  land 


Lattintown.  449 


being  a  part  of  a  certain  tract  of  land  granted  by  his  late 
Majesty,  Lord  King  George  the  First,  by  Letters  patent  under 
the  seal  of  the  Province  of  New  York,  bearing  date  10th  day 
of  February,  the  first  year  of  his  reign  unto  Lewis  Morris,  Esq. 
^nd  Augustus  Graham  and  others,  1723. 

No  number  of  acres  are  given  but  from  the  survey, 
it  would  appear  as  several  hundred. 

Euphemia  Morris  of  Boice,  County  of  Bucks,  Great  Britton 
by  Attorney  to  Joseph  Carpenter  of  Ulster  County;  deed  dated 
Dec.  1753.  Consideration  600  lbs.  No.  of  acres  677;  lands  in 
Ulster  County,  west  side  of  the  Hudson  Eiver;  part  of  the 
Morris  and  Graham  Patent  as  above  mentioned. 

Also: 

Samuel  Kniffin  to  Joseph  Carpenter.  Deed  dated  1759. 
No.  of  acres  390.     Consideration  122  lbs.  10  s. 

These  lands  were  a  large  part  of  the  Lattintown 
valley,  were  bounded  on  the  west  by  the  foot  of  the 
mountain  as  stated,  and  these  men  appear  to  be  the 
second  purchasers  or  owners  after  the  Patentees,  and 
Joseph  Carpenter  and  the  others  named  were  cer- 
tainly among  the  first  settlers.  A  few  people  had 
settled  along  the  valley  before  this,  but  it  does  not 
appear  that  they  had  any  valid  title  to  the  lands. 
Carpenter  and  his  friends  came  here  in  1753,  as  under 
the  first  deed  they  are  spoken  of  as  residing  at  Oyster 
Bay,  and  in  the  second  deed  as  residing  in  the  county 
of  Ulster,  and  it  appears  that  Joseph  Carpenter 
owned  most  of  the  land;  his  friends  are  mentioned 
only  in  the  first  deed.  •  He  certainly  was  a  great  land 
owner  and  owned  the  best  land  in  the  town,  or  as 
I  should  say  of  the  precinct  of  Highlands  as  there 
was  no  Marlborough  or  Newburgh  precinct  or  town 
then.  He  was  the  largest  landholder  the  town  ever 
had  outside  of  the  Patentees  and  I  have  no  doubt  but 
that  the  name  "  Latting  Town  "  came  from  these  set- 

15 


450  History  of  Marlborough, 

tlei'vS,   and  was   so   named   from   the  place   tliey   had 
moved  from. 

These  lands,  it  seems,  were  a  part  of  the  Morris 
and  Graham  Patent,  which  i:>atent  was  bound-ed  west 
by  the  monutaius,  south  by  lauds  of  Zaehariah  Hoif- 
man,  the  Griggs  and  Graham  Patent  (afterward  of 
Lewis  DuBois),  east  by  the  patent  of  George  Harri- 
son or  lands  granted  to  Gadwallader  Golden,  known 
as  C^olden's  Ridge. 

The  lands  were  comparatively  free  from  stone  and 
easily  cleared,  and  were  of  surpassing  fertility; 
enormous  crops  of  all  kinds  of  grain  were  raised  for 
years  upon  the  same  grounds,  and  the  valley  was 
known  far  and  wide  for  its  great  productiveness,  its 
fat  cattle  and  good  horses.  It  became  rapidly  settled; 
many  neighbors  and  relatives  of  the  Carpenter,  Cav- 
erly  and  Latting  families  settled  here,  and  the  large 
tract  of  the  Carpenter  lands  was  soon  divided  up  into 
farms.  The  people  became  wealthy  for  farmers  in 
those  times ;  in  fact  the  wealth  and  property  of  the 
town  was  for  years  centered  here,  and  it  was  the 
social  and  business  center  as  well  as  the  center  of 
population.  The  people  congregated  here  during  the. 
Revolution  to  hear  the  news  of  the  war.  The  Free- 
masons held  their  lodge  here.  AVliile  the  surround- 
ing country  was  mostly  forests,  Lattintown  was 
flourishing.  Before  the  settlement  by  the  white  peo- 
ple, a  small  tribe  of  Indians  raised  their  corn  and 
beans  here  on  the  flats;  and  the  hillocks  where  they 
planted  year  after  year  were  plainly  discernable  to 
the  early  settlers.  In  old  papers  and  documents,  I 
find  these  lands  spoken  of  as  ''  Latting  Town  Plains  " 
and  the  ''Plains  at  Latting  Town."  In  Revolution- 
ary times,  the  Committee  of  Safety  often  met  here. 


Societies  and  Institutions.  451 

Societies  and  Institutions, 
advance  lodge  of  odd  fellows. 

This  society  was  organized  or  instituted  in  Janu- 
ary — ,  1882,  with  the  following  officers :  James  Shaw, 
N.G.;  L.  McMullen,  V.  G.;  C.  AV.  Frost,  R.  S.;  Clar- 
ence Bingham,  P.  S.,  John  Rusk,  T.  The  present 
officers  are  John  Kramer,  N.  G. ;  George  DuBois, 
V.  G. ;  A.  B.  Cascles,  Secretary.  This  is  one  of  tlie 
strongest  lodges  of  the  county.  The  members  are  a 
fine  intelligent  class  of  men,  and  the  society  exerts  a 
wide  influence,  and  does  much  good  in  the  community. 
The  membership  is  132. 

GUIDING    STAR    LODGE    NO.    199,    KNIGHTS    OF    PYTHIAS. 

This  society  was  organized  in  1883.  There  were 
thirty-two  charter  members;  and  the  following  offi- 
cers were  chosen ;  Judson  Dayton,  C.  C. ;  John  AV. 
Badner,  V.  C. ;  Enoch  Baxter,  K.  R.  and  S.  The  present 
officers  are  Jesse  R.  Masten,  C.  C. ;  Charles  Comugh- 
ton,  V.  C. ;  George  A.  Young,  K.  R.  and  S.  The  pres- 
ent membership  is  seventy-nine. 


KETCHAM    POST,    NO.    195,    G.    A.    R. 

In  June,  1881,  Ketcham  Post  was  organized,  as  the 
result  of  the  efforts  of  C.  M.  AVoolsey,  J.  C.  Merritt, 
Rev.  S.  P.  Gallaway,  C.  ^Y.  Frost,  P.  V.  L.  Purdy, 
George  A.  Donalson,  R.  H.  Rose  and  others.  The 
Post  was  named  after  the  brothers  Edward  H.  and 
John  T.  Ketcham  of  Milton,  who  gave  their  lives  for 
their  country,  one  on  the  line  of  battle  at  Gettysburg, 
the  other  at  Libby  prison. 

Members  of  Pratt  Post  of  Kingston  and  LeFevre 
Post,   of  Highland,   assisted   in   the   organization   of 


452  History  of  Marlborough. 

Ketcham  Post,  and  the  occasion  was  made  a  gala  day 
by  the  people  of  Marlborough.  At  least  one  thou- 
sand people  assembled  about  and  near  the  flagpole 
at  the  center  of  the  village  to  hear  the  speeches.  A 
subscription  of  $100  was  raised  to  feed  the  visitors. 
The  first  officers  were  C.  M.  Woolsey,  Com. ;  John  C. 
Merritt,  S.  V.  Com. ;  Henry  Scott,  J.  V.  Com. ;  C.  W. 
Frost,  Adj.;  A.  B.  Masten,  Qr.  Mr.;  P.  V.  L.  Purdy, 
Oif.  Day;  R.  H.  Rose,  Chaplain;  R.  Donaldson,  Sur- 
geon; John  Valentine,  OiT.  Guard;  R.  F.  Coutant, 
Sergt.  Maj.;  R.  Osterhoudt,  Qr.  Sergt.  The  otlier 
charter  members  were  B.  F.  Bailey,  Phineas  H. 
Smith,  George  W.  Davey,  S.  Hoppenstead,  John 
Hunter,  Thomas  Elliott,  Thomas  Lewis,  William 
York,  Nathaniel  Horton,  David  Johnson,  John 
Masten.  The  charter  was  granted  July  1,  188-4.  The 
post  has  been  in  a  flourishing  condition  ever  since  its 
organization,  and  is  generally  represented  at  either 
State  or  national  annual  encampments.  Many  of  its 
charter  members  have  died,  and  other  veterans  have 
been  added.  Its  officers  for  1908  are :  C.  M.  Woolsey, 
Com. ;  H.  B.  Crowell,  S.  V.  Com. ;  Lyman  Beam,  J.  V. 
Com. ;  E.  R.  Martin,  Qr.  Mr. ;  J.  C.  Merritt,  Off.  Day, 
and  Adjutant;  H.  B.  Scott,  Chaplain;  Jacob  Berean, 
Surgeon;  Da\dd  Smith,  Off.  Guard.  Peter  V.  L. 
Purdy,  C.  W.  Frost,  William  Hoganaugh  and  H.  B. 
Crowell  have  been  commanders.  The  Decoration  Day 
services  are  always  quite  an  event  in  the  community. 


VILLAGE  OF   MARLBOROUGH. 

The  village  was  incorporated  in  July,  1906,  with 
F.  S.  Snyder  as  president;  C.  H.  Hartshorn  and  D. 
Mosher,  trustees.  The  present  officers  are  F.  S. 
Snyder,  president;  C.  H.  Hartshorn,  J.  C.  Wygant, 
John  Kreamer,  and  E.  B.  Dexter,  trustees.  The  popu- 
lation is  about  800. 


Societies  and  Institutions.  453 

first  national,  bank  of  marlborough, 

This  bank  was  organized  in  August,  1907,  with  a 
capital  of  $25,000.  It  insures  deposits  against  loss. 
The  present  directors  are  J.  Foster  Wygant,  presi- 
dent; Dr.  A.  H.  Palmer,  vice-president;  C.  W.  Davis, 
cashier;  J.  A.  Hepworth,  C.  R.  Gordon,  Dr.  David 
Mosher,  Franklin  Clark,  C.  G.  Mackey,  C.  A.  Dunn, 
George  A.  Badner  and  AV.  J.  Burrows. 


MARLBOROUGH    HOSE    COMPANY    NO.    1. 

This  society  was  incorporated  in  March,  1897.  The 
officers  for  1908  are ;  Frank  Horton,  president ;  W.  P. 
McConnell,  first  vice-president ;  Tlieo.  Covert,  second 
vice-president;  Bert  Clark,  recording  secretary;  Geo. 
Suiter,  financial  secretary;  E.  B.  Dexter,  treasurer, 
M.  V.  B.  ^Morgan,  Jr.,  foreman ;  M.  McMullen,  Jr.  first 
assistant  foreman ;  Wm.  Brown,  second  assistant 
assistant  foreman. 


MILTON    FIRE    ENGINE   ASSOCIATION. 

This  society  was  organized  May  24,  1904.  The  offi- 
cers for  1908  are:  John  B.  Ball,  president;  James 
Butler,  first  vice-president;  E.  F.  Patten,  second  vice- 
president;  Fred  Miller,  secretary;  C.  J.  Miller,  treas- 
urer; Dr.  J.  Freston,  C.  J.  Miller,  and  Edward  Young, 
trustees;  Phillip  A.  Lyon,  foreman;  Garry  Hornbeck, 
first  assistant  foreman;  Edward  Ennest,  second  as- 
sistant foreman. 


MILTON-ON-THE-HUDSON    GRANGE. 

The  Grange  was  organized  January,  1900.  The 
first  officers  were:  Fred  W.  Vail,  master;  Thomas  F. 
Sears,  overseer;  C.  M.  Woolsey,  lecturer;  J.  R.  Clark, 


454  History  of  Marlborough. 

steward;  Fred  Taber,  assistant  steward;  Georg-e  S. 
Clark,  chaplain;  William  Bloomer,  treasurer;  Clias. 
S.  Lyons,  secretary;  A.  B.  Clark,  gate  keeper;  Mrs. 
J.  R.  Clarke,  lady  assistant  steward.  The  present 
officers  for  1908  are :  E.  R.  Martin,  master;  William  A. 
Shorter,  overseer;  Nicholas  Hallock,  lecturer;  Charles 
Kniffin,  steward;  Frank  C.  Wood,  assistant  steward; 
Fred  Taber,  chaplain;  Thomas  F.  Sears,  treasurer; 
George  S.  Clark,  secretary;  Ensign  Lyons,  gate 
keeper;  Mrs.  Fannie  N.  Lyons,  lady  assistant  steward; 
Mrs.  F.  C.  Wood,  Ceres;  Mrs.  J.'r.  Clark,  Pomona; 
Mrs.  Charles  Kniffin,  Flora.  Present  membership, 
seventy-five. 


MARLBOROUGH   GRANGE   NO.    904. 

The  Marlborough  Grange  was  instituted  March, 
1901,  with  the  following  officers:  Daniel  Lockwood, 
master;  Cornelius  Bloomer,  overseer;  James  Car- 
penter, lecturer;  Samuel  Wygant,  steward;  Henry 
Coutant,  assistant  steward;  Mrs.  A.  B.  Eckerson, 
lady  assistant  steward;  A.  B.  Eckerson,  chaplain;  Fred 
Baker,  treasurer;  Crawford  Harcourt,  secretary,  Wm. 
S.  Purd}^,  gate  keeper.  The  officers  for  1908  are:  C. 
H.  Baildon,  master;  Benj.  Harcourt,  overseer;  Geo. 
H.  Trickett,  lecturer;  Charles  Bloomer,  steward; 
Chester  Gaede,  assistant  steward ;  Mrs.  Ed.  Reynolds, 
lady  assistant  steward;  R.  A.  Clack,  chaplain;  Joseph 
Bloomer,  treasurer;  F.  E.  McCarthy,  secretary;  Edgar 
Sleiglit,  gate  keeper;  E.  W.  Barnes,  commercial  secre- 
tary; Miss  Mae  Lawson,  Ceres;  Mrs.  J.  E.  Sleight, 
Pomona;  Miss  Lola  Baildon,  Flora.  The  present 
membership  is  ninety-four. 

These  two  Granges,  though  only  instituted  a  few 
years,  show  a  large  membership.  They  are  composed 
of  the  best  and  most  progressive  farmers  in  the  town. 
They  buy  necessary   supplies  in  large  quantities   at 


Societies  and  Institutions.  455 

wholesale  prices  and  for  cash.  They  have  organized 
a  Grange  insurance  for  farm  property  in  the  counties 
of  Ulster  and  Orange;  and  now  more  than  $4,000,000 
of  property  is  insured.  Fires  are  few  and  the  in- 
surance premium  light.  Fred  W.  Vail  of  this  place 
has  been  the  president  of  such  company  since  its  or- 
ganization; Henry  C.  Cooley  has  been  its  treasurer, 
and  David  Merritt,  of  the  town  of  Lloyd,  secretary. 
The  Grange  organization  has  been  a  source  of  great 
benefit  to  the  farming  community;  it  has  effected 
much  good,  and  exerted  a  wide  influence. 


FREE    MASONRY. 

After  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  there  was  a 
flourishing  Free  Mason  lodge  at  Lattintown,  in  the 
house  where  Odell  now  lives.  The  upper  room  in  the 
house,  where  the  meetings  were  held,  is  now  sub- 
stantially as  when  the  lodge  was  there.  There  were 
many  members  from  this  and  surrounding  towns,  and 
it  flourished  for  many  years.  Afterward  the  lodge 
was  changed  in  1804  to  the  tavern  kept  by  Nathaniel 
Harcourt,  in  the  okl  house  on  the  post  road  near 
Lyon's  corner,  recently  torn  down  by  A.  J.  Hepworth. 
I  believe  this  lodge  continued  until  about  1840,  since 
which  time  there  has  been  no  lodge  of  this  order  in 
the  town.  This  last  lodge  was  called  United  Lodge, 
No.  108,  of  Marlborough,  and  was  chartered  April  3, 
1804.  Benjamin  F.  Patten,  Miles  J.  Fletcher  and 
others  served  as  masters  of  this  lodge. 


SARAH  HULL  HALLOCK  FREE  LIBRARY. 

Sarah  Hull  Hallock  by  her  will  left  an  endowment 
fund  to  maintain  a  free  library  at  Milton.  She  died 
in    1884,    and   during   the    same   year   Dorcus    Hull, 


456  History  of  Marlborough. 

George  S.  Clarke,  Margaret  B.  Ball,  C.  S.  Northrip 
and  Winslow  M.  Bell  were  appointed  trustees;  in 
1885  a  set  of  by-laws  wer-e  adopted.  In  December, 
1886,  the  library  was  duly  incorporated  under  "An 
act  for  incorporation  of  library  societies,  passed  in 
1875,  and  acts  amendatory  thereof,"  as  the  Sarah 
Hull  Hallock  Library  Association  of  Milton.  The 
articles  of  incorporation  provided  as  follows: 

1.  The  Cori^orate  name  of  sucli  society  shall  be  "  The  Sarah 
H.  Hallock  Library  Assn.  of  Milton." 

2.  The  business  and  object  of  such  society  shall  be  the  ac- 
cumulation and  maintenance  of  a  library  of  books,  pamphlets, 
periodicals,  etc.,  for  the  use  of  the  people  of  the  village  of 
Milton  in  the  town  of  Marlboro,  county  of  Ulster,  and  state 
of  New  York. 

3.  The  trustees  of  said  society  shall  be  five  in  numl^er  and 
the  names  of  the  trustees  for  the  first  year  are  as  follows : 
Ethan  Parrot,  Townsend  Sherman,  George  Clark,  Sarah  AValter 
Hallock  and  Dorcus  Hull. 

4.  The  library  of  said  society  and  its  place  of  business  shall 
be  located  in  the  village  of  Milton  aforesaid.  Dated,  Milton, 
I)eceml)er  24,  1886. 

The  present  trustees  are  C.  S.  Northrip,  Geo.  S. 
Clarke,  Issac  S.  Crook,  Mrs.  Geo.  S.  Clarke,  Mrs.  E. 
W.  Hallock.  The  library  has  been  at  the  Woolsey 
building  since  1896.  It  has  upward  of  3,000  volumes 
of  standard  works,  and  it  is  being  added  to  yearly  by 
purchase  of  editions  of  new  works,  together  with 
those  which  are  donated  by  friends.  Besides  the  in- 
come from  the  endowment,  money  has  been  obtained 
by  subscription  and  in  various  ways,  so  that  there 
are  always  ample  funds  on  hand  to  carry  on  the 
library  successfully.  The  books  are  all  catalogued, 
etc.,  according  to  the  modern  system,  and  all  books 
called  for  are  quickly  obtained.  The  library  is 
opened  at  stated  times  for  the  delivery  of  books,  and 
some  of  the  ladies  of  the  village  are  always  in  at- 
tendance, and  gratuitously  render  their  services.  It 
is  patronized  by  the  entire  community. 


Societies  and  Institutions.  457 

the  present  business  interests  and  enterprises. 

Franklin  Clark,  Elmer  Wygant  and  the  Marl- 
borough Manufacturing  &  Supply  Co.,  are  largely  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of  fruit  and  berry  cups  and 
packages;  and  the  Marlborough  Manufacturing  & 
Supply  Co.  are  dealers  in  all  kinds  of  lumber  and  sup- 
plies for  building  purposes,  etc. 

Charles  A.  Hartshorn,  John  C.  Merritt,  E.  B. 
Dexter,  Elbert  Warren,  Charles  Warren,  George  A. 
Badner,  Dun  &  Edwards,  E.  J.  Cumskey  and  Charles 
Kniffin  are  merchants  and  have  general  stores. 

Geo.  A.  Young  and  Baxter  Bros,  are  millers  and 
dealers  in  flour,  feed,  grain,  etc.;  William  Y.  Velie, 
extensive  florist;  C.  E.  Gorden,  druggist;  T.  M. 
Hughes  and  Marlborough  Plumbing  Co.,  heaters, 
plumbers  and  dealers  in  hardware;  Stephen  D.  War- 
ren and  John  Decker,  blacksmiths,  etc. ;  Jas.  Mc- 
Gowen,  Moses  McMullen,  Matliew  Morgan,  hotel 
keepers;  also  William  Smith  and  Emmit  Warren, 
dealers  in  meats,  fish,  etc.;  and  last,  but  .not  least,  we 
have  the  Marlborough  "  Record,"  a  weekly  news- 
paper. 

The  above  industries  and  enterprises  are  all  located 
in  the  village  of  Marlborough,  while  those  that  follow 
are  in  Milton. 

L.  Mackey  and  Milton  Manufacturing  &  Supply 
Co.,  manufacturers  of  cups,  fruit  and  berry  packages, 
and  the  supply  company  deals  in  lumber  and  coal; 
R.  J.  Dickey,  druggist;  Charles  P.  Thorn,  cooper; 
J.  J.  Kaley,  Isaac  Crook,  William  F.  Spratt,  mer- 
chants and  general  storekeepers;  William  A.  Goeh- 
ringer,  plumber,  hardware,  tinsmith  and  confections; 
C.  J.  Miller,  barber,  cigars,  tobacco,  etc.,  and  general 
assortment  of  all  kinds  of  men's  clothing;  A.  J.  Booth, 
H.  B.  Crowell,  blacksmiths,  wagons  and  hardware; 
H.  H.  Hallock,  manufacturer  of  cider  and  wines; 
Robert  W.  Hallock,  miller  and  dealer  in  all  kinds  of 


458  History  of  Marlborough. 

flour,  feed  and  grain.  He  is  occupying-  the  same 
premises  occupied  by  his  father  and  grandfather  for 
over  a  hundred  years.  He  commenced  tlie  present 
business  at  the  age  of  twenty-one.  He  has  an  exten- 
sive business,  wliich  is  increasing;  Charles  DeGraff, 
Edward  Thiel  and  Isaac  Ferguson,  hotel  keepers; 
Philip  Lyon  and  AVilliam  H.  Donaldson,  florists;  E. 
F.  Pytten.  Theodore  Rhodes  and  J.  J.  Kaley,  butchers 
and  meat  supplies. 


THE   MILTON    MILLS. 

The  Milton  Mills  is  a  New  York  State  corporation; 
Mr.  E.  H.  Dick  is  president  and  treasurer.  The 
goods  produced  are  astrakhans,  glove  linings,  eider- 
downs, and  a  general  line  of  goods  made  in  knitting 
mills  of  this  character.  Some  five  hundred  styles  are 
made,  so  it  is  quite  impossible  to  mention  tbem  all. 
A  very  fine  line  of  linen  mesh  is  made  here.  The  mill 
runs  by  steam,  and  has  its  own  electric  light  plant. 
It  is  conveniently  situated  within  a  short  distance  of 
the  depot  and  steamboat  landings.  The  mill  expects 
to  increase  the  business  to  a  great  extent  during  the 
coming  year,  and  will  add  much  to  the  prosperity  of 
the  place. 

The  property  was  formerly  owned  l)y  the  Henry  H. 
Bell's  Sons  Co. 


THE    MILTON    FOUNDRY. 

This  foundry  was  carried  on  l)y  John  Ball,  de- 
ceased, for  upwards  of  fifty  years  with  great  success. 
It  is  now  owned  and  incorporated  under  the  name  of 
the  Milton  Foundry  and  Machine  Co.  It  is  connected 
with  a  large  firm  or  company  in  New  York  city,  and 
is  doing  an  extensive  business.  The  property  for- 
merly belonged  to  the  John  Ball  estate,  and  John  B. 


The  People,  Lands  and  Conditions  of  the  Town.    459 

Ball    negotiated    the    sale    and,    tlirongii   liis    instru- 
mentality, has  added  a  new  industry  to  the  place. 

Felie  Pantusco  has  a  general  store;  sells  foreign 
goods  and  merchandise;  runs  an  extensive  bakery 
which  supplies  the  country  for  miles  around  witli 
bread.    The  business  is  very  successful. 


The  People,  Lands  and  Conditions  of  the  Town. 

We  have  seen  that  most  of  the  earlier  settlers  and 
families  came  here  from  Long  Island  and  Westchester 
<:'ounty.  They  were  people  who  had  previously  settled 
at  such  places  or  their  descendants;  they  were  mostly 
English  or  descendants  of  those  Holland  families  who 
had  gone  over  to  England  during  the  reign  of  King 
Henry  VII  and  VIII,  owing  to  the  troubles  in  their 
own  country  and  the  inducements  offered  them  to 
settle  in  England,  and  had  lived  in  England  some 
time  before  they  came  to  America.  They  came  up  here 
mostly  in  sloops  or  brought  their  goods,  cattle,  etc., 
by  land  to  and  across  the  river  here ;  and  a  rude  scow 
and  sail  ferry,  with  oars,  was  early  established  for 
that  purpose.  A  few  families  would  come  together, 
and  their  relatives  and  neiglil)ors  would  soon  follow, 
so  that  by  1750  many  had  located  here  and  were  clear- 
ing up  the  lands  and  making  permanent  im])rove- 
ments.  At  the  commencement  of  the  Revolution  we 
see  by  the  number  of  men  who  signed  the  Articles  of 
Association,  there  must  have  been  quite  a  population 
and  a  thriving  farming  community.  The  dwellings 
Tip  to  this  time  were  mostly  of  stone  or  logs,  but  after 
the  year  1800  most  of  the  houses  built  were  frame 
structures.  The  population  increased  quite  rapidly. 
The  families  were  large  and  the  children  generally 
settled  in  the  same  neighborhood.  The  tide  of  foreign 
emigration  did  not  set  in  until  about  1850 ;  some  had 


460  History  of  Marlborough. 

come  here  before,  but  since  then  foreign  emigration 
has  been  rapid  —  mostly  from  Ireland,  though  quite 
a  number  of  Germans  have  settled  here,  and  some 
other  nationalities.  They  have  been  mostly  an  agri- 
cultural class,  having  been  small  farmers  in  their  own 
country.  They  were  good  people  —  honest,  thrifty 
and  industrious;  they  accumulated  property,  bought 
farms,  raised  large  families,  and  became  respected 
members  of  the  community.  Many  of  our  best  and 
most  enterprising  citizens  have  descended  from  these 
emigrants.  The  Irish  people  have  erected  and  sup- 
ported two  large  and  flourishing  Catholic  churches 
with  parsonages  and  separate  priests,  and  a  large 
cemetery.  Most  of  the  emigration  is  now  from  Italy; 
many  families  arrive  each  year  and  purchase  the 
smaller  and  cheaper  farms.  They  are  a  frugal  and 
industrious  |)eoi)le,  and  manufacture  large  cpiantities 
of  wine  and  ])urchase  a  great  amount  of  the  grapes 
raised  here,  doing  an  extensive  business  in  this  di- 
rection. 

The  water  courses  of  the  town  are  confined  to  a 
few  small  streams  emptying  into  the  Hudson.  In 
former  times  when  the  country  was  new  the  water  was 
held  back  in  the  forests  and  swamps  and  had  a  much 
larger  flow,  and  rarely  went  dry  in  times  of  drought, 
and  afforded  power  the  year  round  for  many  mills 
and  factories;  they  also  contained  trout  in  earlier 
times.     Some  are  now  stocked  with  trout. 

The  surface  is  broken  and  hilly,  rising  from  the 
banks  of  the  river  to  the  Marlborough  mountains,  or 
as  they  are  called  in  Graham's  Patent,  "  the  Blue 
Mountains,"  a  rocky  ridge  along  the  west  bounds 
with  an  elevation  of  about  1,000  feet  above  tidewater. 
The  soil  generally  is  a  dark,  rich  loam  or  clay,  and 
admirably  adapted  to  general  agriculture  and  graz- 
ing, which  was  the  chief  occupation  of  the  earlier  in- 
habitants.    But  fifty  or  sixty  years  ago  the  soil  and 


The  People,  Lands  and  Conditions  of  the  Town.    461 

climate  were  found  to  be  favorable  to  the  raising  of 
all  kinds  of  fruit,  and  the  high  prices  then  prevailing 
induced  many  to  abandon  agriculture  and  make  a 
speciality  of  fruit  raising.  The  first  of  the  small 
fruit  raised,  to  any  extent,  was  the  Antwerp  rasp- 
berry, claimed  to  have  been  brought  over  from  Hol- 
land. For  several  years  this  berry  was  raised  with 
great  success;  it  was  the  staple  crop  of  fruit.  It 
grew  in  abundance  and  brought  fancy  prices.  Many 
people  date  the  commencement  of  their  prosperity 
from  this  berry.  It  was  a  rich  berry  dark  red  in 
color  and  of  a  peculiar  fragrance.  It  bore  for  sev- 
eral weeks  and  was  the  best  and  richest  raspberry 
ever  raised  about  here,  though  we  now  have  a  dozen 
varieties,  but  it  ran  its  course  in  about  twenty  years, 
when  it  almost  ceased  to  grow.  No  careful  cultivation 
or  fertilizing  could  coax  it  back  to  its  former  pro- 
duction—  in  fact  it  simply  went  out  of  existence  and 
now  is  unknown.  The  lands  are  given  up  to  a  large 
extent  to  the  raising  of  fruit,  which  grows  in  abund- 
ance and  is  profitable  when  properly  managed.  There 
are  many  large  vineyards,  and  strawberries,  rasp- 
berries, blackberries  and  currants  show  abundant 
yields.  Large  quantities  of  the  best  quality  of  peaches 
are  raised.  There  are  many  apple  and  pear  orchards; 
in  fact,  no  better  fruit  is  raised. 

The  farms  have  been  divided  into  small  tracts  of  a 
few  acres  and  upwards  upon  which  families  live  and 
prosper.  The  soil  stands  dry  weather  well.  AVith 
proper  cultivation,  fertilizing  and  attention  the  yield 
of  all  the  fruits  are  large.  People  wishing  to  com- 
mence the  cultivation  of  fruit  would  do  well  to  first 
visit  this  town  and  see  for  themselves  the  conditions 
and  success  of  fruit  raising  here.  The  advantage  of 
railroad  connection  to  all  sections  of  the  country,  and 
the  cheap  and  easy  transportation  by  the  river,  make 


462  History  of  Marlborough. 

it  an  ideal  place  from  which  to  shi]^  whatever  may  be 
raised. 

The  West  Shore  railroad  has  been  of  great  benefit; 
most  of  the  trains  stop  at  both  Milton  and  Marl- 
borough; it  furnishes  refrigerator  ears  and  ships 
fruit  wherever  desired.  The  great  hotels  of  New 
York  city,  Philadelphia,  Boston,  Montreal  and  other 
cities  are  furnished  with  peaches  and  other  fruit  di- 
rect from  here.  The  gross  receipts  of  some  of  our 
fruit  growers  are  from  $10,000  to  $20,000  a  year. 
Large  sums  are  paid  out  for  fertilizers  and  for  work- 
ing and  shipping  the  crop;  and  anyone  can  obtain 
ready  employment  at  good  wages.  There  are  1,000 
persons  wlio  come  here  annually  to  help  during  the 
picking  season.  More  acreage  of  fruit  is  set  out 
every  year  and  fruit  raising  here  is  becoming  a 
regular  science.  Though  none  of  our  people  grow 
rich,  as  riches  are  spoken  of  and  accumulated  in  other 
avocations,  yet  they  are  wealthy  and  prosperous  for 
tillers  of  the  soil.  Their  children  attend  high  schools 
and  colleges,  many  keep  town  and  city  places  and 
sjjend  their  winters  in  Europe  or  in  the  South.  Over 
a  million  dollars'  worth  of  fruit  is  shipped  or  sold 
from  here  every  year.  Lands  are  now  selling  readily 
and  advancing  in  j^rice. 

Graded  schools  and  churches  are  numerous.  Both 
ends  of  the  town  have  rural  free  delivery.  A  state 
road  extending  the  entire  length  of  the  town  is  about 
to  be  built.  Both  villages  are  lighted  with  electric 
lights.  Telephones  and  telegraphs  are  numerous. 
We  have  the  best  of  banking  facilities  —  one  bank  in 
this  town,  one  in  an  adjoining  town,  and  many  at 
Poughkeepsie  and  Newburgh,  between  which  places 
there  is  almost  constant  communication.  We  are  but 
a  few  miles  from  either.  There  are  also  several 
fraternal   societies. 


The  People,  Lands  and  Conditions  of  the  Town.    463 

The  town  has  for  long  been  noted  as  a  summer  re- 
sort, many  families  and  prominent  people  spending 
their  summers  here.  The  climate  and  scenery  are 
unsurpassed.  All  boarding  houses  do  well  and  there 
is  an  opening  for  a  larger  and  more  modern  class  of 
houses.  Beautiful  sites  for  such  buildings  are  to  be 
found  all  along  the  banks  of  the  Hudson  commanding 
extensive  views  of  the  river  and  surrounding  country, 
and  can  be  obtained  reasonably.  There  is  a  river 
front  of  seven  miles. 

The  increase  in  population  has  been  remarkable. 
The  population  in  1865  was  2,733;  in  1900  it  was 
3,978,  showing  a  larger  percentage  of  increase  than 
the  city  of  Kingston  or  any  of  the  towns,  except 
Eosendale.  and  this  while  most  of  the  towns  have 
stood  still  or  lost  in  })opulation. 


INDEX, 


Acker,  William.  347. 
Adams,  Ann,  427. 

Nathaniel,  263. 

Samuel,   426,   427. 
Advance   Lodge   of   Odd   Fellows, 

451- 
Akerly,  Rev.  Samuel  M.,  421,  422, 

4-23- 
Albertson,  Richard,  35,  245. 
Allegiance,  Oath  of,   100,  210. 
Ancestors,  Our,  86-89. 
Ancient  Customs  and  Habits,  285- 

297. 
Manuscripts   of   the   Weather, 

297-302. 
Andros,  Gov.  Edmond,  259. 
Antwerp,    Raspberry,    283,    284, 

Articles  of  Association: 

Signers  of,  96-99. 

Objectors,  99. 
Assembly,  Act  of : 

Appointing   Com'rs   of    High- 
ways, 22.  24. 

Dividing   Precinct,  24. 

Forming  Precincts,  22. 
Assembly,  Colonial,  Act  of  : 

Annuling  patent,  19. 
Assessors'  Oath,  210. 
Assessment  Roll    (1815),  242. 
Atherton,  Jonathan,  405. 
Ayres,  Andrew,   117,   118. 

B. 

Bailey,  Nathaniel,  359. 

Ballad,  241. 

Baptist  Church  Society,  405-414. 

Notes  from  the  Church  Book, 
406-413. 

Pastors,  407,  408.  409,  410,  411, 
412,  413. 
Barbaric,  John,  27,  35. 

Patent  of,  27,  33,  34,  35,  245, 
261. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth,  35. 
Barges,  252. 
Barnegat,  443,  444. 
Barrett,  Absalom,  36,  256. 

Samuel  A.,  56,  80,  234. 

Samuel,  412,  413. 
Beebe,  Samuel,  402. 
Belfield,  John,  38. 
Benedict,  Matthew.  405,  406. 


Bennitt,  John,   35. 
Benson,   John,  440. 
Birdsall,  George,  243. 
Bolton,  William,  397. 
Bond,  Susanna,  38,  39,  85. 

Conveyances  of,  37,  38. 

Capt.  William,  27,  38,  39,  81, 
83,  85. 

Patent  of,  27,  28,30-31.    33, 
34,  38,  242,  243,  245. 

Capt.  John,  348. 
Brickyards,  263,  271,  444. 
Brower,  David,  439. 
Brown,  Charles,  233. 
Brush,  Abner,  35,  245,  256. 
Brush's  Dock,  36,  254,  256. 
Bruyn,   Cornelius,  43. 
Buckley,  John,  247,  248,  433. 
Burdge,  Richard,  397. 
Burial  Grounds  (Family),  55,  290, 
291. 

Places  (Ancient),  34,  54,  302- 
310. 

Inscriptions,  303-309. 
Burwell,  Richmond,  406. 
Business    Interests    and    Enter- 
prises, 457,  458. 

C. 

Campbell,  William,  47. 
Carpenter,    Benjamin,    91,    93,    96, 
100,  448. 

Joseph,  49,  50.  448,  449. 

Latting,  50,  448. 

Richard,  91,  446. 

Samuel,  24. 

Wrightj  91. 
Case,  Stephen.  43,  loi.  114,  210. 
Catholic   Churches   and   Catholics, 
414-4 1 8._ 

St.  James',  417. 

St.  Mary's,  417. 
Caverly,  John,  49. 

Latting,  218'. 

Phillip,  256. 
Chittenden,  Nathaniel,  212,  397. 
Churchill,  John,  16,   17. 
Clark.  Rev.  E.  W.,  372,  444. 
Clearwater,  Judge,  11. 
Clinton,  Dr.  Charles,  100,  260. 

Gov.  George,  35,  104,  no. 
Letters  to  N.  Y.  Conven- 
tion, 125,  126. 

Col.  James,  100.  104,  no. 


[405] 


466 


Index. 


Coffin,  Uriah,  397. 
Colden,    Capt.    Alexander,    22,   47, 
48.  216. 
Cadwallader,    y],   48,    50,    141, 
216,  450. 
Transfer  of  land,  217. 
Cadwallader,   Jr.,   141,  216. 

Petition  of,  140. 
Thomas,  35. 
Colden's  Ridge,  216-218,  450. 
Coleman,  David,  85. 

Somner,  444. 
Committee  of  New  York,  94. 

Pledge  of,  95. 
Committee  of  Safety.  Tn,  128. 

Certificates  of,   102,   143. 
Committee  of  Safety  and  Obser- 
vation, 91. 
Congress,  Continental,   107. 
Proceedings  of,  107. 
Provincial,  96,  100. 
Conventions  at  New  Paltz,  94,  100. 

Provincial,  100. 
Cook,  Erastus,  317. 
Cooper,  Ezekiel,  376,  t,-]"],  437. 

John,  376. 
Couwenhoven,  Lieut.,  51- 
Cropsey,  Henry,  48. 

Jeremiah,  308,  434. 

D. 

Dans,  Kammer,  y],  5i,  S3- 
Dayton,  Jacob,  91,  135.  138,  397- 

Bond  of,  136. 

Will  of,    137- 

Thomas  R.,  347- 
Decker,   Cornelius,  83. 

Jacob,  Jr.,  83. 

Samuelj  48. 
De  Lacet,  52. 

Devine,  Samuel  and  others.  Peti- 
tion of,  129. 
DeWitt,  Charles,  94,   100. 
Deyo,  Henry,  24,  446. 
Docks,  249,  250,  251,  254,  255,  256, 

257. 
Doctors,  280,  281,  282,  283. 
Dongan,  Gov.,  18,  52. 

His    Purchase    from    the    In- 
dians, 19. 
Dow,  Lorenzo,  399,  400,  401. 
Drake,  Reuben,  405. 

Uriah.  Bond  of.  139. 
DiiBois,  Mrs.  Ann.  100. 
Cornelius,  46. 
Geartry,  42. 

Conveyance  of,  42. 
Henry,  91. 
John,  46,  212. 


DuBois  — (Continued). 

Major  Lewis,  23,  24,  42,  43, 
44,  91,  94,   100,  107,   108, 
215,  247,  256,  259,  431. 
Will  of,  45. 
Court   Martial,   122. 

Proceedings  of,  123. 
Lewis,  Jr.,  264. 

Advertisements,  264. 
Nathaniel,  43,  46,  347-  348- 
Nathaniel  H.,  44. 
Rachel,  233. 

Wilhelmus,  45,  215,  230. 
Duffie,  Archibald,  47. 
Dumond,  Egbert,  100. 

E. 
Ecker,  Wolvert,  91,  93,  loi,  248. 
Edwards,  Samuel,  102. 
Election    (First)  : 

After  Marlborough  became  a 

Town,  161. 
(Special),    To    Raise    IMoney, 

344,  345- 
Eleey,  An  (Poem'),  434-436. 
Eley,  William,  40. 
Ellet,  Nathan.  405. 
Elliot,  Isaac,  308,  434. 
Ellison,  Capt.  Thomas,  22,  348. 
Ely,  Andrew,  359. 

Dr.    Benjamin,    221,   228,    233, 

260,  261. 
Map   of,  218-224. 
Episcopal    Church.     Marlborough, 
419-424. 
Organization  in  Marlborough, 
419. 
First  Officers,  419,  420. 
Pastors,  420,  421,  422,  423. 
Present  Officers,  424. 
Episcopal     Church,    Milton,    424- 

425-  . 
Organization.  424. 

First  Officers,  424. 
Present  Officers,  424. 
Everett,  Robert,  291.-^ 
Evans,  Caot.  John,  19,  25,  261. 
Petition  of,  20-21. 


Facts  and  Incidents.  263-268. 
Ferries,  253.  254,  255.  256,  443- 

Advertisement   of,   254. 
Field.  Charles,  440. 
Fletcher.  Gov.,   19. 
Foster.  EInathan: 

Bond  of,  128. 

Petition  of,  142. 


Index. 


467 


Fowler,  Samuel,  23,  34. 

Sarah,   12. 
Free  Masonry,  455. 
Freer.    Samuel,  266. 
Friends'   Society,   Milton,  425-429. 

Ministers,  427,  428. 

Trustees,  Present,  428. 
Fry,  Hannah  F.,  427,  428. 

G. 

Gardner,   Capt.   Daniel,  2>7- 
Gardiner,  Silas  : 

Petition  of,  130. 
Gomez,   Daniel,  47. 

David,  47. 

Jacob,  40. 

Lewis,  47,  49,  85,  86. 

Mordecai,  47. 
Graham,  Augustine,  31,  41,  81,  85. 

Augustus,  2,2. 

Daniel,  2,Ti. 

James,  41. 
Graveyards.      See  Burial,   etc. 
Griffin,  Jacob,  38. 
Griggs,  Alexander,  2)~-  4i.  83.  85- 

&  Graham  : 

Patent   of,  31,  ^t„  41,   44, 
45,  47-  450. 

H. 

Hait,  John,  446. 

Thaddeus,  233. 
Hallock,   Edward,   34,   39,  40,  246 
247,  425,  427. 

Foster,  248,  427. 

James,  242,  426,  427. 

Jesse,  38.  39. 

Nathaniel,  34. 

Nicholas,  427. 

Ponds,  247,  270,  271. 

Samuel,  34,  35,  36,  254,  427. 

Sarah,  36,  27- 

Sarah  Hull,  456. 
Handley,  Jacob,  36. 
Harcourt,  Benjamin,  278. 

Nathaniel,    loi,   21^,    ^48,   446, 
448. 

Richard,  40,  348. 
Hardenburgh,  Col.  Johannes,  94, 

100. 
Harris,   Thomas,   83. 
Harrison,   Francis,  32. 

Patent  of,   t,2. 

George,  32,  50,  262. 

Patent  of,  2^2,  218,  262. 
Hasbrouck,     Capt.     Jonathan,     2t,. 
406. 

Zacharias,  233. 


Hawkins,  Col.,  237. 

Hawksley,  Rev.   Samuel,  420,  421, 

424. 
Highlands,   Precinct  of,  22,  23. 

Tax  Roll   of,  83. 

Residents  and  Freeholders,  84. 
Hill,  Isaac,  36,  256. 
Hoffman,  Ida,  42,  43. 

Zachariah,   22,  41,   42,   85,   86, 
450. 
Hornbeck,  Jacob,  100. 
Houses,  Ancient,  245,  246. 
Hudson,   Henry,  257. 

Notes  from  his  Journal,  258. 

River,  22,  257. 
Humphrey.  John,  Jr..  22. 
Hunter,  James,  38,  39. 


Indians,  51-56. 

Trails,  53,  54. 

Forts,  54. 

Tribes,  54. 

Burying  Ground,  54,  55. 
Invasion  of  Canada,  The,  104-107. 


Jansen,   Pieter.  83,  85. 

Jay,  John,  278. 

Jef row's  Hook,  220,  259-261.  1 

Justices    of    the    Peace,    276,    277,' 

279-  .     . 
Commission   of   Appointment,. 
277,  278. 

K. 

Kelsey,  Nathaniel.  91,  348. 
Kennedy,  Archibald,  2,2,  40,  47. 

Patent  of,  32. 
Kenney,  Rev.  E.  J.  A.,  417,  418. 
Ketcham,  Annanias,  397. 

Lieut.   Edward,   317,  319,   320, 
336.  343- 
Letters     to     his     ^lother, 
321-328. 
John.  319,  320,  336,  347. 

Funeral      Sermon,     336- 

341- 
Letters    to    his    Mother, 
326,   2,^7,   2>2^-232„   334, 
335. 
Post.  4SI,  452. 
Kill.  Old  Mian's.  20.  80,  81. 
Kniffin,  Euphina,  49. 

Samuel,  50. 
Knights  of  Pythias,  451. 
Knowlton.  Daniel.  230_,  426. 
Thomas,   t,?-  40- 


468 


Index. 


Land  Grants,  27-51. 
Lane,   Henry,  49. 
Lattingtown,  24,  403,  404,  446-450. 
Latting,  John,  49,  448. 

Sarah,  448. 
Lawson,  Oliver,  347. 
Lawyers,  279,  280. 
LeFevre,  Isaac,  46. 
Lester,  Allen,  243,  359. 

Daniel,   349. 
Levies.     See  Regiment,  loi. 
Lewis,  Elijah,  40,  91,  246,  256. 

Micajah,   102. 

Valentine,  349. 

Zadoc,  348. 

Z.  N.,  402. 
Library,  Free,  S.  H.  Hallock,  455, 

456. 
Lockwood,  Eli  T.,  278. 

Henr\',  91. 

Isaac,   124. 

Joseph,  212  . 

Josiah,  36,  402. 
Bond  of,  139. 
Longbottom,  James  H.,  402,  441. 
Low,  Isaac,  91. 

M. 

Mackey,  Jurian,   t,/.  38,  39. 
Manitonomah   (Poem),  56-80. 
Mann,    Nehemiah    H.,    334,    335, 

347- 
Mapes,  Robert  D.,  347. 
Barnabns  M.,  402. 
Marks  of  Cattle,  201-203. 
Marlborough : 

Boundaries  of  Town,  25. 
Description  of,  243,  244. 
Duke   of,    16,   17. 
Maid    of.   The    (Poem),   268, 

269. 
Organization  of  Town,  22. 
Marlborough,  New,  Precinct  of, 
24,  222. 
Population  of  (1790),  82. 
Committee  of,  91. 
Power   of,   92. 
Election  of  Officers   in,   102, 

103. 
Population  of  Town,  244,  463. 
Society,   43. 
Marlborough,  Town  of,  18-27. 
Field  Book  and  Map  of  Par- 
tition, 45,  46. 
How   the    Town    Derived    Its 

Name,  16-18. 
In  the  (Tivil  War,  346,  347. 
In  the  Revolution,  91-14S. 


Marlborough     Village,    215,     431- 
437- 
Business  Enterprises,  457. 
First  National  Bank,  453. 
Grange  No.  904,  454. 
Hose  Co.  No.  i,  453. 
Incorporation   of,  452. 
Postmasters  of,  436. 
Martin,   William,  .107,  348. 
McKinney,  Arthur,  127. 
Petition  of,   131. 
Petition  for  Release  of,  132. 
Mee,  Rev.  James  Francis,  415,  416, 

417- 
Members  of  Assembly,   etc.,   270. 
Merritt,  Caleb,  24. 
Charles,  402. 
David,  446,  447. 
George,  47^.  48. 

Conveyance   of,  48,   49. 
Josiah,  229,  233. 
Humphrey : 

Bond  of,   127. 
Leonard,  308,  434. 
Methodism,   375-397. 

Newburgh   Circuit,  277,  398. 
Classes  of,  s77j  378. 
Preachers,  398. 
Organization,  375. 
Methodist  Episcopal  Society,  Mil- 
ton, 397. 
Metliodist    Church,    ^larlborough, 
401-403. 
Ministers,  402,  403. 
Stewards,  Present,  403. 
Trustees    (1830),  402. 
Present,  403. 
Methodist    Church,     Milton,    397- 

399- 
Ministers,  399. 
Stewards,  399. 
Trustees   (First),  397. 
(1845).  398. 
Present,  399. 
Methodist      Church.      Lattintown, 

403-  404- 

Trustees    (1848),  404. 
Middagh,  Jacob : 

Petition  of,   127. 
Militia,    loi.      See    Regiment. 
Millard,  Charles,  233,  247,  257,359, 

431- 
Advertisements  of,  431,  432. 
Walter,  432,  433. 
Milton,  437-446. 
Academy,  444. 
Business    Enterprises,   457. 
Fire  Engine  Association,  453. 
Foundry.   45S. 
(-on-Hudson)  Grange,  453. 


Index. 


469 


Milton  — (Coiitimicd). 

Land     Grants     (Dock     Prop- 
erty), 36. 

Mills,  458. 

Postmasters  of,  445. 

Savings  Bank,  444. 
Mills     and     Factories,     Ancient, 

247-249. 
Montgomery,  Gen.,  105,  106. 
Moodney  Creek,  19,  22. 
Morey.  Joseph,  24,  91,  94,  100,  348. 
Morres,  Cornel : 

Patent  of,  37. 
Morris,  Euphemia,  448. 

Gouverneur : 

Resolution  on  Motion  of, 
144. 

Lewis,  448. 

Patent  of,  31,  49. 

and  Graham   Patent,  450. 
Murderer's    Kill,    19,   22,   52. 

N. 

National  Pioneer,  437. 

Advertisements   of,   438-443. 
Negro  Children,  Registry  of,  214. 
Negroes.     See   Slaves. 
Newburgh    Circuit.      See    Metho- 
dism. 

Precinct,  23,  24,  40,  100. 
Newman,  John,  444. 

John  H._.  444. 
New     Marlborough.       See     Marl- 
borough. 
New  Netherlands : 

Description  of  the  Natives,  53. 
New   Paltz   Patent,  220,   260,  261. 
New  Windsor,  22,  '23. 
Nicholson,  John,   100. 
Nicoll's  Landing.     See  Docks,  35, 

36.. 
Nottingham,  Samuel,  427. 

Stephen,    218,    219,    221,    222, 
348. 

Oath  of  Office,  211. 


Oakley,  Peter  C,  399. 
Officers,  Town    (1818),  171. 

(1840),  175,  176. 
Ostram,  James   I,  212,  358. 
Ostrander,  David,  348. 
Our    Country's    Quarrel    (Poem), 

238-240. 
Overseers   of  Highway   and   Men, 

List  of   (1800),  168-171. 
Overseers  of  Highway  and   Men, 

List  of  (i8r8)    171-175. 
Overseers  of  Highway  and  Men. 

List  of  (1840),"  1 76-181. 


Patents,  27-50. 
Path  Masters,  161-165. 
Pauling,  Levi,  38,  94,  104. 
People,   Lands   and   Conditions   of 

Town,  459-463. 
Perkins,  Aaron,  408,  409,  410,  411. 
412. 

Abijah,  91,  94,  96,  99. 
Pinkney,  Thomas,  308,  434. 
Plattekill,   Town   of,    etc.,    19,   22, 
24,  219,  220,  221,  222,  223. 

Formation  of,  25. 

Separation      from      Marlbor- 
ough, 165.  166. 
Point,   Blue,  22,   220. 
Polhemus,  Cornelius,  438. 
Political  Index  (Newspaper),  432, 

447- 
Poll  List   (1834),  310-315- 
Ponds,  271,  272,  273. 
Potter,  Nathaniel,  91,  118,  291,  348. 
Powell,  Jacob,  250,  256,  443. 

Thomas,  250,  256. 
Pratt,  George  W.,  317. 
Precinct  Meetings,  149-159. 
Presbyterian      Church,      Milton, 

371-374- 
Elders,  373,  374. 
IVIinisters,  372,  373. 
Trustees  (First),  371. 
Presbyterian  Society  and  Church, 

351-357- 
Deed  for  Lot,  354. 
Elders,   359.  363. 
Ministers,  358-363. 
New  organization,  357-363. 
Records,  353-357.  364-371. 

Baptism    of    Children    of 

Members,  371. 
Baptisms,  Marriages,  etc., 
364-371. 
Subscriptions.  353,  355. 
Purdy,  Francis.  47. 

(Conveyance  of,  48. 

Isaac,  348. 

Silas,  91,  94,  248,  446. 

William  J.,  317,  343,  347,  405. 


Quassaick,  18,  23,  54. 
Quick,  Jurey(Jury,  Jurian,  etc.), 
41,  42,  43,  44,  85,  86,  348. 
Thomas,  42,  348. 
Quimby,  James,  233. 

Levi,  34,  132,  133,  134. 

Oath  of  Allegiance,   133. 
Petitions    of,    132,   133. 
Recognizance   of,   134. 
Moses,  50. 


470 


Index. 


Quimby  — (Continued). 

Nathaniel,   Petition  of,   133. 
Peter,  252,  441. 


Records    for    Care    of    the    Poor, 

205-209. 
Records    of    Strayed    Stock,    204, 
205. 
Presbyterian      Society.        See 
Presbvterian,  etc. 
Regiment,  Cantine's,   108. 

Fifth    (Lewis    DuBois),    108, 
109. 
Prisoners  of,   iio. 
Fourth,   loi. 
Roswell  Hopkin's,  108. 
Southern,  Minute  Men,  loi. 
Third  (Ulster),  104. 

Officers    of    Fourth    and 
Tenth   Co.,    105. 
Thomas,  108. 

Twentieth,  of  Militia,  317. 
One  Hundred  and  Twentieth, 

3^7^  341. 
One  Hundred  and  Fifty-sixth, 

317.  343- 
Relyea,  Dennis  (Old  Dennis,  Den- 

nie,  etc.),  20,  81,  83,  85.  261. 
Revolution,    Marlborough    in    the, 
91-148. 
See    Marlborough. 
Associated  Exempts,  102. 
Day  of  Rejoicing,  145. 
Levies,   loi. 

Order  or  Proclamation,  147. 
Rhodes,  Joseph,   108. 
Roads,  Ancient.  219,  220. 

Descriptions  of,   183-199. 
Robert,  J.  J.  A.,  228,  231,  232,  233. 
Roe,  C.  S.,  252,  438,  439,  440.  441. 

443- 
Rose,  Lieut.,  126. 

Cashiered    for    Insubordina- 
tion,  116. 
Petition  of,  127. 


Safford,  Horatio  Gate,  243. 
Sales  of  Land,  266,  267. 
Sands,  Benjamin,  36,  2i7,  256. 

David,  36,  427,  437. 

Dock.     See  Docks,  36,  37.  249. 
School  Commissioners,  211,  212. 
Schoonmaker,  Egbert,  80. 
Schuyler,  Gen.,  105. 
Sears,   Sherburne,  36. 
Seven  Patentees,  33. 


Sharpe,  Col.  George  H.,  317,  341, 

342. 
Shawangunk  Mountains,  19. 
Sherman,   James,  36. 
Sherwood,  Joseph,  229. 
Simson,  Solomon,  34. 
Slavery  and  Slaves,  224-234. 

Bills  of  Sale,  228,  229. 

Manumission   of   Slaves,  230- 
232. 

Registry  of  Births,  230,  232, 

233- 
Slavery,  To   (Poem)^,  234,  235. 
Sloop     "  Sally."       See     Vessels, 

139,  249,  251. 
Smith,    Anning,    34,    36,    104,    247, 
249,  348. 
Eben,  398,  399. 
Eliphalet,  243. 
Graveyard.      See    Burial,    etc, 

35,   55,  303-305. 

John  M.,  34. 

John,  91. 

Leonard,  34,  loi,  247,  303,  359. 
Petition  of,  138. 

Leonard,   Jr.,  34. 

Lewis,  34. 

Ludlam,   348. 

Luff,  34,  401. 

Nehemiah  L.,  46,  405,  406. 

Richard, -212. 
Societies  and  Institutions,  451-459. 
Soper,   William,  36,  46,  212,  256. 

Abram    D.,   278,   348,  402. 
Stanton,  Benjamin,  49,  448. 
Staples,  David,  212,  349,  397. 
Steamboat    Notice.      See   Vessels, 

252. 
Stilwell,   Samuel,  349. 
Stratton,  John,  102. 
St.  John,  Ebenezer,  117. 

Anson,  439. 
Supervisors,  273,  274. 
Sutton,  Joshua,  426. 

T. 

Taber,  Stephen,  427,  428. 
Tappen,  Christian,  232. 

Christopher,   ico,  397. 

George,  406. 

John,   265. 
Tavern  Keepers   (i795.  1796),  211. 
Taylor,  Charles  H.,  442. 

Mrs.  M.  B.,  442. 
Terboss  (Terbush),  Henry,  91,  94, 

loi,  402. 
Thorn,  "William,  425. 
Thorne,  James,  247.  433- 

John,  247,  433- 


Index. 


471 


Tories,  143,  I44- 

Tow-Boat    "Atlanta"    (Notice), 

252.     See  Vessels. 
Town  Clerks,  275. 

Matters,  Ancient,  21 1-2 14. 

Meetings,    159-161,    165-167. 
Townsend,    Benjamin,    233,    242, 
278. 

Samuel,   ii7- 

Petition  of,   119. 
Transportation,  249-253. 
Tuttle,  Selah,  437. 

U. 

Ulster  Plebeian  (Newspaper), 
Extracts  from,  265. 

V. 

Valentine,  Annanias,  308,  434. 

Van  DeWater,  Joseph.  See  Slav- 
ery, 228. 

Vaughns  Expedition  up  the  River. 
113-116. 

Vessels,  249-253. 

W. 

Warren,  Thomas,  446. 

Wallkill,   Precinct   of,  23. 

War,     Civil.      See     Marlborough, 

317-319. 
Enlistments,   346,  347. 

Mexican,   237. 
of   1812,  237. 

Washington's  Headquarters,  2t,. 
Webster,   Daniel,  86. 
Wentworth,  Hugh,  35.  261. 
Westbrook,  Gen.  Frederick.  237. 
West  Shore  Railroad,  462. 
Weynant   (Wygant),  William,  .-: 

38,  39. 
Wickham,  William,  50. 

Transfer  of  Land,  217. 


Wiggins,    Elizabeth.    Petition    of, 

120. 
Wood,  Capt.  Jacob,  112,  249,  256. 

Exempts  in  his  Company,  no, 
III. 
Wood's  Vindication,  113. 

John,  46,  249,  348,  426. 
Woolsey,  C  M.,  347,  348. 

Daniel,   108. 

David  W..  348,  413- 

Elijah,  379. 

Experiences  of,  379~397- 

Henry,    108,   397. 

John,   43,  55,91.94-   108,  378. 

John,  Jr.,   106. 

Josiah,   108. 

Noah,  108,  231,  405,  406. 

Richard,  12,  24. 

Conveyance  of,  40. 

Richard  I.,  397. 

Thomas,  50,  379,  397. 

William,   108,  348. 

Commission   of,   103,   104. 

William  B.,  50,  217,  218. 
Wright,  Jacob,  425. 
Wygant,  Jane,  39,  223. 

John,  233- 

John  W..  46.  349. 

Jurey.  39,  223. 

Michael,  39,  348. 

Nick,  91. 

Nathaniel,   102. 

Thomas,  406. 

William,  40. 

Y. 

Young,  Alexander,  34.  425. 
Edward,  283,  284. 
John,  34,  41-  245.  348,  425. 
William  C,  263. 


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